Divider with Faster than Quadratic Convergence

Project ID: 1860-AP
Available for licensing

Background

In the past, division has been difficult. Many methods have been researched to increase the speed of the computation, but these methods have frequently required high complexity. One such algorithm, Goldschmidt division, although effective, has been deemed impractical for many applications due to its complexity.

Invention Description

This invention is a new method to increase the speed of convergence for Goldschmidt division using simple logic circuits. While the approximate quotient converges quadratically in conventional Goldschmidt division, the new method achieves faster (nearly cubic) convergence.

Benefits

Uses less hardware and computes faster than conventional dividers
The divider uses a smaller initial approximation table to achieve a given accuracy.

Features

The improved divider uses an approximate squaring circuit to make the iterations more accurate.

Market Potential/Applications

All digital systems that require high-speed division including microprocessors, digital signal processors, and embedded processors

UT Researcher

Earl E. Swartzlander, Jr., Ph.D., Electrical and Computer Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin
Inwook Kong, Electrical & Computer Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin

OTC Contact Information

Jitendra Jain, Licensing Specialist
jjain@otc.utexas.edu
512-471-9055