Overflow Or Underflow Patents (Class 708/552)
  • Patent number: 11409537
    Abstract: One embodiment provides for a graphics processing unit (GPU) to accelerate machine learning operations, the GPU comprising an instruction cache to store a first instruction and a second instruction, the first instruction to cause the GPU to perform a floating-point operation, including a multi-dimensional floating-point operation, and the second instruction to cause the GPU to perform an integer operation; and a general-purpose graphics compute unit having a single instruction, multiple thread (SIMT) architecture, the general-purpose graphics compute unit to simultaneously execute the first instruction and the second instruction, wherein the integer operation corresponds to a memory address calculation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Elmoustapha Ould-Ahmed-Vall, Barath Lakshmanan, Tatiana Shpeisman, Joydeep Ray, Ping T. Tang, Michael Strickland, Xiaoming Chen, Anbang Yao, Ben J. Ashbaugh, Linda L. Hurd, Liwei Ma
  • Patent number: 11301214
    Abstract: A circuit for performing multiply/accumulate operations evaluates a type of each value of a pair of input values. Signed values are split into sign and magnitude. One or more pairs of arguments are input to a multiplier such that the arguments have fewer bits than the magnitude of signed values or unsigned values. This may include splitting input values into multiple arguments and inputting multiple pairs of arguments to the multiplier for a single pair of input values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignees: VeriSilicon Microelectronics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., VeriSilicon Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mankit Lo, Meng Yue, Jin Zhang
  • Patent number: 11262981
    Abstract: An adder circuit inhibiting overflow is provided. A first memory, a second memory, a third memory, and a fourth memory are included. A step of supplying first data with a sign to the first memory and supplying the first data with a positive sign stored in the first memory, to the second memory; a step of supplying the first data with a negative sign stored in the second memory, to the third memory; a step of generating second data by adding the first data with a positive sign stored in the second memory and the first data with a negative sign stored in the third memory; and a step of storing the second data in the fourth memory are included. When the second data stored in the fourth memory are all second data with a positive sign or all second data with a negative sign, all the second data stored in the fourth memory are added.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Hajime Kimura, Takahiro Fukutome
  • Patent number: 9781682
    Abstract: The disclosure discloses a method for power-on control of a mobile terminal and a mobile terminal. The method includes: when a power-on detection flag bit in a mobile terminal is at a high level, judging whether there is an external power supply access event; if it is judged that there is an external power supply access event, and it is detected that the mobile terminal is in a power-off status currently, then triggering an external power supply power-on event, and setting the power-on detection flag bit to a high level; if it is judged that there is no external power supply access event, then judging whether there is a key-pressing event; and if it is judged that there is a key-pressing event, and it is determined that the key-pressing event is used for controlling to turn on the mobile terminal, then triggering a key-pressing power-on event, and setting the power-on detection flag bit to a high level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: XI'AN ZTE NEW SOFTWARE COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Jiajun Liu, Jihong Wang
  • Patent number: 9524143
    Abstract: A data processing apparatus and method of operating such a data processing apparatus are provided, for responding to a division instruction to perform a division operation to generate a result value by dividing an input numerator specified by the division instruction by an input denominator specified by the division instruction. The input numerator and input denominator are binary values. The apparatus comprises division circuitry configured to generate the result value by carrying out the division operation, power-of-two detection circuitry configured to signal a bypass condition if the input denominator has a value given by ±2N, where N is a positive integer, and bypass circuitry configured, in response to signalling of the bypass condition, to cause the division circuitry to be bypassed and to cause the result value to be generated as the input numerator shifted by N bits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: ARM Limited
    Inventors: Neil Burgess, David Raymond Lutz
  • Patent number: 8805914
    Abstract: There is provided a method of processing an iterative computation on a computing device comprising at least one processor. Embodiments of the method comprises performing, on a processor, an iterative calculation on data in a fixed point numerical format having a scaling factor, wherein the scaling factor is selectively variable for different steps of said calculation in order to prevent overflow and to minimize underflow. By providing such a method, the reliability, precision and flexibility of floating point operations can be achieved whilst using fixed point processing logic. The errors which fixed-point units are usually prone to generate if the range limits are exceeded can be mitigated, whilst still providing the advantage of a significantly reduced logic area to perform the calculations in fixed point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Maxeler Technologies Ltd.
    Inventors: Oliver Pell, James Huggett
  • Patent number: 8495117
    Abstract: A system and method for parallelization of saturated accumulation is provided. In the method, an input sequence is divided into a plurality of subsequences. For each subsequence, three parallel saturating additions are performed. The local saturation minimum is the saturating addition of the global saturation minimum and the values of the subsequence. The local midpoint is the saturating addition of the values of the subsequence and the local saturation maximum is the saturating addition of the global saturation maximum and the values of the subsequence. In embodiments, the accumulation total for a subsequence is calculated as the saturating addition of the accumulation total for prior subsequences and the local midpoint of the current subsequence, wherein the accumulation total of the last subsequence is the result of the saturated accumulation for the sequence. In another embodiment, the saturated addition of subsequence results are further parallelized before the final result is reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Alexander J. Burr, Timothy M. Dobson
  • Patent number: 8316067
    Abstract: A decimal calculation apparatus, which performs multidigit decimal calculation with the number of calculation digits set in a calculation instruction, includes a multidigit memory section which stores values with greater numbers of digits than the number of digits of a predetermined digit unit in a plurality of memory areas, a calculation-instruction memory section which stores the calculation instruction having the number of calculation digits and a type of calculation set therein, and a decimal calculation section which performs decimal calculation of sequentially calculating numerical values of corresponding digit units respectively stored in the plurality of memory areas of the multidigit memory section, digit unit by digit unit in the number of calculation digits set in the calculation instruction stored in calculation-instruction memory section, in decimal calculation according to type of calculation set in the calculation instruction stored in calculation-instruction memory section, and sequentially wr
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hisashi Ito, Tetsuichi Nakae
  • Patent number: 8266198
    Abstract: A specialized processing block for a programmable logic device includes circuitry for performing multiplications and sums thereof, as well as circuitry for rounding the result. The rounding circuitry can selectably perform round-to-nearest and round-to-nearest-even operations. In addition, the bit position at which rounding occurs is preferably selectable. The specialized processing block preferably also includes saturation circuitry to prevent overflows and underflows, and the bit position at which saturation occurs also preferably is selectable. The selectability of both the rounding and saturation positions provides control of the output data word width. The rounding and saturation circuitry may be selectably located in different positions based on timing needs. Similarly, rounding may be speeded up using a look-ahead mode in which both rounded and unrounded results are computed in parallel, with the rounding logic selecting between those results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: Kwan Yee Martin Lee, Martin Langhammer, Yi-Wen Lin, Triet M. Nguyen
  • Patent number: 8209366
    Abstract: A method, apparatus and program storage device that provides a shift process with saturation for digital signal processor operations are disclosed. An instruction is generated for shifting an operand to either maximum or the minimum value depending on the bit of data input when saturation occurs. A saturation detection circuit is combined with an arithmetic shifter and a final decision multiplexor. The final decision multiplexor receives the output from the arithmetic shifter and the saturated value from the saturation circuit. When saturation is detected by the saturation detection circuit, the final decision multiplexor selects the saturate minimum or the saturate maximum depending on whether the MSB of the data in equals one or zero, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Jeffrey J. Dobbek, Kirk Hwang
  • Patent number: 8094768
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a novel multi-channel timing recovery scheme that utilizes a shared CORDIC to accurately compute the phase for each tone. Then a hardware-based linear combiner module is used to reconstruct the best phase estimate from multiple phase measurements. The firmware monitors the noise variance for the pilot tones and determines the corresponding weight for each tone to ensure that the minimum phase jitter noise is achieved through the linear combiner. Then a hardware-based second-order timing recovery control loop generates the frequency reference signal for VCXO or DCXO. A single sequentially controlled multiplier is used for all multiplications in the control loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Triductor Technology (Suzhou) Inc.
    Inventor: Yaolong Tan
  • Patent number: 7962729
    Abstract: Software defects (e.g., array access out of bounds, stack overflow, infinite loops, and data corruption) occur due to integer values falling outside their expected range. Because programming languages do not include range-checking instructions as part of their language, to detect software defects and ensure that the code runs smoothly, programmers generally use 1) runtime assertions and/or 2) sub-range data types. However, these techniques cause additional conditional branches, incur additional overhead, and decrease processor performance. Processors comprising a range checking hardware feature supported by machine instructions for runtime integer range checking can eliminate the conditional branches generated during runtime integer range checks. Programming language extensions for the range checking hardware can allow dynamic range bounds to be defined during runtime without decreasing the processor's performance. This can allow for easier programming and code that is easier to maintain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Jose G. Rivera
  • Patent number: 7958177
    Abstract: The present invention is to provide a parallel filtering method, which is implemented to an interpolation filter and comprises the steps of separating coefficients of the interpolation filter into two sets comprising the positive and negative coefficients respectively for parallelly filtering a plurality of input data pixels packed into data words inputted to the interpolation filter concurrently to obtain a first result data word, and clipping and shifting the first result data word to obtain a final output data word containing packed half-pel pixels for parallelly and efficiently filtering data stream of video without increasing the complexity, cost, size and power consumption of circuitry of an electronic video apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Arcsoft, Inc.
    Inventor: Hong-Bo Zhu
  • Patent number: 7925687
    Abstract: A saturating count counts received event signals up to a first predetermined number. An overflow counter counts overflows up to a second predetermined number. The counter indicates overflow when the overflow count is non-zero and saturates and stops counting at a maximum count when the overflow count reaches the second predetermined number. The counter can be read via a register read operation. The sum of the sum of the first predetermined number of bits and the second predetermined number of bits being an integral multiple of 8 bits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Manisha Agarwala, John M. Johnsen, Lewis Nardini
  • Patent number: 7917566
    Abstract: A plurality of general-purpose registers each has a first bit width. A computing unit has a first and a second input end, at least the first input end having a second bit width wider than the first bit width, and performs an arithmetical operation on data supplied from the general-purpose registers to the first and second input ends. An overflow register having a bit width narrower than the first bit width holds data on figures overflowed as a result of calculation by the computing unit as overflow data and supplies the held overflow data as higher-order bits to at least one input end of the computing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Jun Tanabe
  • Patent number: 7860915
    Abstract: A method for detecting a pattern from an arithmetic logic unit (ALU) in an integrated circuit. The method includes the steps of: generating an output from an ALU; bitwise comparing the ALU output to a pattern to produce a first output; inverting the pattern and comparing the ALU output with the inverted pattern to produce a second output; bitwise masking the first and second outputs using a mask of a plurality of masks to produce third and fourth output bits; combining the third and fourth output bits to produce first and a second output comparison bits; and storing the first and second output comparison bits in a memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.
    Inventors: Vasisht Mantra Vadi, Jennifer Wong, Bernard J. New, Alvin Y. Ching, John M. Thendean, Anna Wing Wah Wong, James M. Simkins
  • Patent number: 7689640
    Abstract: An apparatus for scaling numbers comprises register means for storing an operand to be scaled, bit shifting means for performing a right shift operation on the operand, rounding means, and decision means to test for the existence of at least one of an overflow and an underflow condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventors: Erik K. Renno, Ronny Pedersen, Oyvind Strom
  • Patent number: 7680874
    Abstract: An adder that can detect the generation of overflow at a high speed. Carry signal c14 from the 15th digit to the 16th digit in the result of addition from the 1st digit to the 16th digit of the input data is generated on the basis of bit signals (a0-a15, b0-b15) for the portion from the 1st digit to the 15th digit of the input data, and of carry signal CIN input to the 1st digit, and it is output from CLA 204. Then, carry signal c15 from the 16th digit to the 17th digit is generated based on said generated carry signal c14 and bit signals (a15, b15) of the 16th digit of the input data, and this is output from CIA 205. Exclusive-NOR circuit 206 then operates on said carry signals c14 and c15, and overflow detection signal OVF16 is generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2010
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Akihiro Takegama, Tsuyoshi Tanaka, Masahiro Fusumada
  • Patent number: 7580967
    Abstract: A method of operating a processor in a variable bit-length environment by performing a maximum limit function and minimum limit function. The method comprises accessing a most significant portion of a first number in a first register, wherein the most significant portion of the first number includes a first value. The method also includes accessing a most significant portion of a second number that includes a maximum/minimum limit, wherein the most significant portion of the second number includes a second value. The method includes changing the most significant portion of the first number to match the most significant portion of the second number if the first value is greater/less than the second value and storing the most significant portion of the first number in the first register.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2009
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Alexander Tessarolo, Karthikeyan Rajan Madathil, G. Subash Chandar
  • Patent number: 7543014
    Abstract: In some embodiments a system comprises an overflow control bit, a programmable saturation control bit, a processing unit, and a saturation unit coupled to the processing unit. A selection unit may select the output of the processing unit or the output of the saturation unit based on the state of the saturation control bit. Further, the saturation control unit may output a saturated or unsaturated value based on the overflow control bit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2009
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Gerard Chauvel, Dominique D'Inverno
  • Patent number: 7467178
    Abstract: A system and method for overflow and saturation processing during accumulator operations that reduces the error in a saturation operation. Upon overflow, additional guard bits used in conjunction with an accumulator allow a user to continue processing without any error in the values used in computations following the overflow. A saturation condition can be detected following the overflow the appropriate maximum value stored in the accumulator upon detecting saturation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Assignee: Microchip Technology Incorporated
    Inventor: Michael I. Catherwood
  • Patent number: 7461118
    Abstract: A saturation-capable arithmetic logic unit (ALU) includes a general-purpose comparator coupled to receive a data value and a saturation threshold value during a saturation operation. Using the general-purpose comparator of the ALU for saturation minimizes circuit area without adversely affecting microprocessor performance. In an unsigned saturation operation, the data value is replaced with the threshold value when the data value is greater than the threshold value. In a signed saturation operation, positive data values are compared with an upper threshold value and negative data values are compared with a lower threshold value. In this manner, the data value need only be compared to either the upper or lower threshold value, rather than both. If the data value falls outside the bounds set by the upper and lower threshold values, the data value is replaced with the nearest threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2008
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Alexander M. Griessing
  • Patent number: 7428567
    Abstract: An arithmetic unit for performing an arithmetic operation on at least first and second input operands, each of the input operands being separable into a first portion and a second portion, such as respective less significant and more significant portions. The arithmetic unit comprises first arithmetic circuitry, second arithmetic circuitry, selection circuitry and saturation circuitry. The first arithmetic circuitry, which may comprise a carry-propagate adder, processes the first portions of the input operands to generate at least a temporary sum and a carry output. The second arithmetic circuitry, which may comprise a dual adder and a preliminary saturation detector, processes the second portions of the input operands to generate one or more temporary sums and a number of saturation flags. The selection circuitry is configured to select one or more of the outputs of the second arithmetic circuitry based on the carry output of the first arithmetic circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2008
    Assignee: Sandbridge Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael J. Schulte, Erdem Hokenek, Pablo I. Balzola, C. John Glossner
  • Patent number: 7177893
    Abstract: A method for determining, by means of a circuit, a result sk+2 of an operation of the type s k + 2 = ( s k ? + • ? a k ) ? + • ? a k + 1 where sk, ak, and ak+1 are fractional signed operands and symbol + • represents a saturating addition operation, comprising: a step of calculation of three sums representative of a possible value of the result, and a step of selection of one of said three sums according to overflows having occurred in the sum calculation. At least one step of the method uses the positive part and the negative part of at least one of the operands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.A.
    Inventor: Benoît Dupont de Dinechin
  • Patent number: 7171438
    Abstract: A method of formulating and solving equations that facilitate recognition of full word saturating addition and subtraction The method includes formulating, for each basis addition statement z=x+y or subtraction statement z=x?y, data flow equations that describe properties of the program statements being analyzed; and solving the data flow equations. The properties may include: (a) the values BITS of program variables as Boolean functions of the sign bits of x, y and z; (b) the condition COND under which program statements are executed as Boolean functions of the sign bits of x, y and z; and (c) the condition REACH of which values of variables reach any given use of z when overflow/underflow/neither occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: Sandbridge Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Mayan Moudgill, Vladimir Kotlyar
  • Patent number: 7149766
    Abstract: Methods of detecting overflow and/or underflow events are provided. The methods are preferably incorporated into a high-level programming language, but this is not necessary. In one embodiment, an increasing function that may cause overflow for a data element having a value is performed on a surrogate variable having the same value as the data element. The variable is then compared to the value to determine whether the variable, after the function is performed, is greater than the value. If the value is greater than or in some cases equal to the variable, an overflow has occurred. If the value is less than the variable, no overflow has occurred. Additional embodiments determine whether an underflow occurs with a decreasing function in similar fashion, and the function may be performed on either the variable or the value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: Unisys Corporation
    Inventors: Kelsey L. Bruso, James M. Plasek, Rachel M. Noack
  • Patent number: 7089277
    Abstract: A computation circuit which can obtain n+m-digit accumulation results by using an n-digit computation unit. This computation circuit comprises a computation unit which performs additions of n-digit data; an m-digit up/down counter; and a control circuit which uses the up/down counter to generate the upper m digits of the computation result. In a preferred embodiment, the control circuit increments by one the up/down counter when carry-over occurs in the computation unit, and when the input data of the computation unit is negative, decrements by one the up/down counter. In another preferred embodiment, the control circuit increments or decrements by one the up/down counter when positive or negative overflow occurs in the computation unit, and decrements by one the up/down counter when the final computation result of the computation unit is negative or is a positive number greater than 2n?1?1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Assignee: Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Teruaki Uehara, Keitaro Ishida
  • Patent number: 7051062
    Abstract: Apparatus for determining a value, a sign and an overflow status of an addition of at least three n-bit data inputs. The apparatus comprising: a first adder, for adding the at least three n-bit data inputs, to provide a first output having at least 2n bits; a second adder for adding a portion of bits of the first output, the second adder being operable to add a plurality of m-bit addends, m being smaller than or equal to n. The apparatus further comprising at least two electronic-circuits, operatively associated with the first adder and the second adder. The first adder, the second adder and the at least two electronic-circuits are constructed and designed to obtain the value, the overflow status and a sign of the addition of the at least three data inputs, using predetermined parity rules being associated with a parity characteristic of the at least three data inputs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: Analog Devices, Inc.
    Inventor: Michel Jalfon
  • Patent number: 7047270
    Abstract: A saturating count counts received event signals up to a first predetermined number. An overflow counter counts overflows up to a second predetermined number. The counter indicates overflow when the overflow count is non-zero and saturates and stops counting at a maximum count when the overflow count reaches the second predetermined number. The counter can be read via a register read operation. The sum of the sum of the first predetermined number of bits and the second predetermined number of bits being an integral multiple of 8 bits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2006
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Manisha Agarwala, John M. Johnsen, Lewis Nardini
  • Patent number: 7013321
    Abstract: According to the invention, a processing core that executes a parallel multiply accumulate operation is disclosed. Included in the processing core are a first, second and third input operand registers; a number of functional blocks; and, an output operand register. The first, second and third input operand registers respectively include a number of first input operands, a number of second input operands and a number of third input operands. Each of the number of functional blocks performs a multiply accumulate operation. The output operand register includes a number of output operands. Each of the number of output operands is related to one of the number of first input operands, one of the number of second input operands and one of the number of third input operands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2006
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventor: Ashley Saulsbury
  • Patent number: 6993545
    Abstract: A digital filter having the capability to completely prevent the digital filter from generating the overflow oscillation by detecting positive and negative overflow propagating one or a plurality of bits by means of an overflow detecting circuit. When overflow is detected, a clipping circuit serves to fix the output signal to a positive maximum value or a negative maximum value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Mikio Shiraishi
  • Patent number: 6983300
    Abstract: An arithmetic unit for adding a plurality of values to define a result, the arithmetic unit including circuitry for receiving the plurality of values; circuitry for adding the plurality of values to define a result, the result being within a first range; circuitry for determining if the result falls within a second range, the second range being smaller than the first range, the circuitry arranged to consider only some of the bits of the result; and circuitry for modifying the result in so that the result output by said arithmetic unit falls within the second range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2006
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.A.
    Inventor: Sebastien Ferroussat
  • Patent number: 6947962
    Abstract: An algorithm and implementation is described of overflow prediction for addition without the use of an expensive addition operation. This overflow prediction is particularly applicable to the implementation of addition operation using the carry-save format in high speed arithmetic units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Yatin Hoskote
  • Patent number: 6941329
    Abstract: In a digital electronic method for increasing the calculation accuracy in non-linear functions and a system for performing the method, wherein an input format has a strictly defined word but the fixed point may be at different locations, the values are so processed that the accuracy of the calculations and also the calculation speed are substantially increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Assignee: Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Eppier, Thomas Fischer
  • Publication number: 20040167954
    Abstract: A math device has a multiplier and an overflow detector. The multiplier multiplies an n-bit input with an m-bit input and produces a reduced width output without producing an intervening data file having a width greater than or equal to n+m. The overflow detector determines if the reduced width output eliminates non-redundant bits. According to a second aspect, the overflow detector determines when the product of the m-bit input and the n-bit input would exceed o-bits, where o<(m+n), the overflow detector having a first overflow unit provided in parallel to the multiplier, and a second overflow unit provided in series with the multiplier. According to a third aspect, the overflow detector has a comparator provided on a critical timing path, and the comparator requires only a review of 4 bits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2003
    Publication date: August 26, 2004
    Applicant: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES NORTH AMERICA CORP.
    Inventor: Alexander Griessing
  • Publication number: 20040098439
    Abstract: An apparatus and method provide for performing either an overflow or underflow comparison while minimizing overflow/underflow comparison circuitry. In particular, the apparatus and are implemented with overflow/underflow possible check circuitry that determines if a mathematical operation between a first exponent signal and a second exponent signal creates a potential overflow condition. The overflow/underflow possible check circuitry generates a signal indicating whether an overflow or underflow condition is a possibility. Exponent compare circuitry computes an actual overflow or underflow condition. The exponent compare circuitry computes an actual overflow condition if the signal, from the overflow/underflow possible check circuitry, indicates that overflow is possible, and computes an actual underflow condition if the signal, from the overflow/underflow possible check circuitry, does not indicate overflow is possible.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2003
    Publication date: May 20, 2004
    Inventors: Stephen L. Bass, Ravi G. Koshy
  • Patent number: 6718357
    Abstract: A microcomputer is provided with an upper clip circuit for comparing digital values output from an analog-to-digital (AD) converting circuit 1 with a high level reference value A, and replacing a digital value larger than the reference value A with the reference value A; and a lower clip circuit for comparing digital values output from the upper clip circuit with a reference value B, and replacing a digital value smaller than the reference value B with the reference value B. Irregular signal waveforms can be removed by replacing the reference values A, B, thereby enhancing the reliability of operation results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2004
    Assignees: Renesas Technology Corp., Mitsubishi Electric System LSI Design Corporation
    Inventor: Sanghoon Ha
  • Publication number: 20040049528
    Abstract: Apparatus for determining a value, a sign and an overflow status of an addition of at least three n-bit data inputs. The apparatus comprising: a first adder, for adding the at least three n-bit data inputs, to provide a first output having at least 2n bits; a second adder for adding a portion of bits of the first output, the second adder being operable to add a plurality of m-bit addends, m being smaller than or equal to n. The apparatus further comprising at least two electronic-circuits, operatively associated with the first adder and the second adder. The first adder, the second adder and the at least two electronic-circuits are constructed and designed to obtain the value, the overflow status and a sign of the addition of the at least three data inputs, using predetermined parity rules being associated with a parity characteristic of the at least three data inputs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2002
    Publication date: March 11, 2004
    Inventor: Michel Jalfon
  • Publication number: 20030182341
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for diffusing clipping error in a computing system. When a data set contains values which are to be restricted to a range, and the data set includes one or more values which are beyond the range, the invention provides methodology that is an improvement over clipping extraneous values to the range or squeezing the values to the range. Advantageously, systems and methods are provided for distributing or diffusing error to neighboring samples of the data set, thereby spreading localized error, and minimizing the effects associated with remapping the data set to the restrictive range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2002
    Publication date: September 25, 2003
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation.
    Inventor: John Michael Snyder
  • Publication number: 20030163501
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for reducing the occurrence of overflow in an IIR filter. The feedback state of a filter is stored with double precision and scaled-down to increase range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2001
    Publication date: August 28, 2003
    Applicant: Sony Corporation and Sony Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Chinping Q. Yang, Robert Weixiu Du
  • Patent number: 6535900
    Abstract: A processor made up of a computation unit, an accumulator unit, a saturation determination unit and a saturation unit. The computation unit operates on one or more operands of W bits. The accumulator unit stores the output of the computation unit, in W bits. The saturation determination unit detects overflow in parallel with latching of the output of the computation unit. Overflow occurs when the operand latched by the accumulator represents a number having more than A significant bits, where A is less than W. The saturation unit provides saturation operands to the computation unit when the operand latched in the accumulator unit represents a number having more than A significant bits. Furthermore, the processor has saturation operands of either (+2A−1−1) or −2A−1. A method for using the processor is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2003
    Assignee: DSP Group Ltd.
    Inventors: Ronen Perets, Yael Gross, Moshe Sheier
  • Patent number: 6532486
    Abstract: A method for saturating data in a register (100) is disclosed. The method comprises shifting data contents in the register (100) by a saturation value and setting at least one bit equal to a sign bit (110) on the register (100). The method further comprises storing the shifted contents in a temporary register (160), which (160) has compare bits (180). The method further comprises setting high bits (150) and low bits (140) to a positive value when the compare bits (180) are not equal to the sign bit (110) and the sign bit indicates a positive data word in the register (100). The method further comprises setting the high bits (150) and low bits (140) to a negative value when the compare bits (180) are not equal to the sign bit (110), and the sign bit (110) indicates a negative data word in the register (100). The method further comprises shifting the set data contents in the register (100) by the saturation value and setting at least one bit equal to a least significant bit (102) on the register (100).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2003
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Alexander Tessarolo
  • Patent number: 6529930
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for performing signed saturation of binary numbers to arbitrary powers of two are described. Given an n-bit signed binary word, the methods and apparatus of the present invention perform a signed saturation to k-bits where the value of k can vary such that 1<k<n. Through the use of hardware circuits of the present invention the signed saturation operation is implemented in a more efficient manner than software implementations which utilize multiple compare operations. The signed saturation circuits of the present invention can be incorporated into processors, e.g., CPUs, to provide a hardware implementation within a CPU for a signed saturation processor instruction, e.g., either a SISD OR SIMD saturation command or instruction. The signed saturation circuits can accept the data value upon which the operation is to be performed, and, optionally, a value k indicating the number of bits to which individual data value are to be saturated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2003
    Assignee: Hitachi America, Ltd.
    Inventors: Sharif Mohammad Sazzad, Michael A. Plotnick
  • Patent number: 6519620
    Abstract: A saturation select apparatus and method are implemented. Late stage logic blocks in an adder are provided which combine saturation select control signals with sum generating signals. A first saturation select control is asserted in response to an unsigned saturated instruction, and a second saturation select control is asserted in response to a signed saturated instruction. If either select control is asserted, each logic block outputs a corresponding bit of a respective saturation value. In response to a modulo mode instruction, both select control signals are negated, and each logic block outputs a corresponding bit of the arithmetic operation (sum or difference) implemented by the instruction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2003
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Huy Van Nguyen, Michael Putrino, Charles Philip Roth
  • Patent number: 6499046
    Abstract: An apparatus for saturation detection and a method therefor are implemented. Selection circuitry selects a data value signal for outputting between an output from an adder receiving a pair of input operands, and a plurality of saturation value signals. Each input operand may include a plurality of subvector operands of a preselected data type, each data type has having a corresponding length. The selection circuitry selects the data value signal in response to a plurality of second signals. The second signals are generated from carry-out signals from the subvector operands, and first signals that are generated using instruction information for the executing instruction. The second signals may be generated by logically combining the first signals with carry propagate, carry generate and carry-out signals from carry lookahead logic receiving the subvector operands as input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2002
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Huy Van Nguyen, Charles Philip Roth
  • Publication number: 20020188640
    Abstract: A system and method for overflow and saturation processing during accumulator operations that reduces the error in a saturation operation. Upon overflow, additional guard bits used in conjunction with an accumulator allow a user to continue processing without any error in the values used in computations following the overflow. A saturation condition can be detected following the overflow the appropriate maximum value stored in the accumulator upon detecting saturation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2001
    Publication date: December 12, 2002
    Inventor: Michael I. Catherwood
  • Publication number: 20020103842
    Abstract: An adder includes a number of computational stages each associated with one or more bit positions. Particular ones of the computational stages generate a sum output signal and a primary carry-output signal of the adder. A flag generation circuit is coupled to at least one of the stages and is operative to generate an overflow flag for the adder substantially in parallel with the generation of the sum output signal and the primary carry-output signal of the adder. Advantageously, the invention substantially reduces the computational delay associated with generation of the overflow flag, relative to that of conventional adders, without requiring an increase in transistor count or circuit area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2000
    Publication date: August 1, 2002
    Inventor: Alexander Goldovsky
  • Patent number: RE39121
    Abstract: A processor which executes positive conversion processing, which converts coded data into uncoded data, and saturation calculation processing, which rounds a value to an appropriate number of bits, at high speed. When a positive conversion saturation calculation instruction “MCSST D1” is decoded, the sum-product result register 6 outputs its held value to the path P1. The comparator 22 compares the magnitude of the held value of the sum-product result register 6 with the coded 32-bit integer “0x0000_00FF”. The polarity judging unit 23 judges whether the eighth bit of the value held by the sum-product result register 6 is “ON”. The multiplexer 24 outputs one of the maximum value “0x0000_00FF” generated by the constant generator 21, the zero value “0x0000_0000” generated by the zero generator 25, and the held value of the sum-product result register 6 to the data bus 18.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toru Morikawa, Nobuo Higaki, Akira Miyoshi, Keizo Sumida
  • Patent number: RE43145
    Abstract: A processor which executes positive conversion processing, which converts coded data into uncoded data, and saturation calculation processing, which rounds a value to an appropriate number of bits, at high speed. When a positive conversion saturation calculation instruction “MCSST D1” is decoded, the sum-product result register 6 outputs its held value to the path P1. The comparator 22 compares the magnitude of the held value of the sum-product result register 6 with the coded 32-bit integer “0x0000_00FF”. The polarity judging unit 23 judges whether the eighth bit of the value held by the sum-product result register 6 is “ON”. The multiplexer 24 outputs one of the maximum value “0x0000_00FF” generated by the constant generator 21, the zero value “0x0000_0000” generated by the zero generator 25, and the held value of the sum-product result register 6 to the data bus 18.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Toru Morikawa, Nobuo Higaki, Akira Miyoshi, Keizo Sumida
  • Patent number: RE43729
    Abstract: A processor which executes positive conversion processing, which converts coded data into uncoded data, and saturation calculation processing, which rounds a value to an appropriate number of bits, at high speed. When a positive conversion saturation calculation instruction “MCSST D1” is decoded, the sum-product result register 6 outputs its held value to the path P1. The comparator 22 compares the magnitude of the held value of the sum-product result register 6 with the coded 32-bit integer “0x0000_00FF”. The polarity judging unit 23 judges whether the eighth bit of the value held by the sum-product result register 6 is “ON”. The multiplexer 24 outputs one of the maximum value “0x0000_00FF” generated by the constant generator 21, the zero value “0x0000_0000” generated by the zero generator 25, and the held value of the sum-product result register 6 to the data bus 18.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Toru Morikawa, Nobuo Higaki, Akira Miyoshi, Keizo Sumida