Patent ID: 7313583
Filing Date: 2007-12-25
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A Galois field arithmetic unit (GFU) comprises: Galois field multiplier section that includes a plurality of Galois field multiplier arrays, wherein the Galois field multiplier section performs a Galois field multiplication by multiplying, in accordance with a generating polynomial, a first operand and a second operand to produce a Galois field product, wherein a bit size of the first and second operands correlates to a bit size of a processor data path, wherein each of the Galois field multiplier arrays performs a portion of the Galois field multiplication by performing, in accordance with a corresponding portion of the generating polynomial, a Galois field multiplication on corresponding portions of the first and second operands, wherein bit size of the corresponding portions of the first and second operands correlates to symbol size of symbols of a coding scheme; Galois field adder section that includes a plurality of Galois field adders, wherein the Galois field adder section adds the Galois field product with a third operand to produce a Galois field multiply and accumulate resultant wherein said resultant is used in error detection and correction in data communications, and further, wherein bit size of the third operand correlates to the bit size of the processor data path, wherein each of the Galois field adders adds a corresponding portion of the third operand with a corresponding portion of the Galois field product, wherein bit size of the corresponding portion of the third operand and the corresponding portion of the Galois field product correlates to the symbol size; a register for storing the third operand or a representative portion of the third operand; spreading module, when enabled, operable to spread the representative portion of the third operand to produce the third operand; and multiplexer operably coupled to pass contents of the register, output of the spreading module, or a default operand to the Galois field adder section.