Patent ID: 7012965
Filing Date: 2006-03-14
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A digital circuit configured to locate and output a binary encoded position of a leading bit of a desired value in an input string of bits, comprising: a plurality of input encoders, each accepting as input equal length sub-strings of the original input string, and each generating a binary encoded position of a leading bit of a desired value within the sub-string; a plurality of bit value detectors, each also accepting as input the equal length sub-strings of the original input string, each detector indicating if the desired bit value exists within the sub-string; an encoder arbitrator accepting as input the outputs of the bit value detectors and the binary encoded position from each of the input encoders, said arbitrator forwarding the binary encoded position of the leading bit of a desired value within the most significant sub-string; and a most significant sub-string encoder that accepts as input the outputs from the bit value detectors, said sub-string encoder generating a binary encoded representation of the most significant sub-string comprising the desired bit value; wherein the output of the encoder arbitrator and the output of the most significant sub-string encoder are concatenated to form the binary encoded representation of the position of the leading bit of a desired value in the input string of bits.