Patent ID: 6581086
Filing Date: 2003-06-17
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
In a data processing system having a processor, a memory coupled to the processor, and a multiply/accumulate (MAC) unit, the MAC unit including an accumulator, a method for operating said MAC unit comprises the steps of:storing a result of a plurality of MAC operations in the accumulator wherein the plurality of MAC operations is a step in an algorithm; selecting a first subset of the result wherein the first subset of the result includes a predetermined number of contiguous bits, the first subset of the result defining a first subset value; storing the first subset value in the memory; detecting an overflow in the first subset of the result; retrieving the result from the accumulator; and selecting a second subset of the result different from the first subset of the result wherein the second subset includes the same predetermined number of contiguous bits as the first subset of the result, the second subset of the result defining a second subset value.