Patent ID: 8060551

Claim:
A method for dividing a dividend D ZM . . . Z0 having a most significant bit and a plurality of less significant bits by a divisor having a most significant bit Z N and a plurality of less significant bits Z Nâˆ’1 through Z 0 comprising the steps of: rounding the divisor to the next significant bit greater than the divisor's most significant bit Z N to produce a first partial divisor R ZN+1 ; dividing the dividend D ZM . . . Z0 by the first partial divisor R ZN+1 to produce a first partial quotient Q N ; calculating one or more additional partial quotients based on one or more divisor bits selected from the plurality of divisor bits Z Nâˆ’1 through Z 0 ; and adding the first partial quotient Q N and one or more additional partial quotients to produce an estimated final quotient; wherein the rounding, dividing, calculating and adding steps are performed by a processor.