Patent ID: 8346831

Claim:
An apparatus for computing mathematical functions, the apparatus comprising: a single hardware pipeline configured to perform a polynomial approximation of second degree or higher, the single hardware pipeline including a plurality of stages; and a plurality of data tables, each associated with at least one of an RCP (reciprocal), SQRT (square root), EXP (exponential) and LOG (logarithm) function and configured to be coupled to the single hardware pipeline according to at least one opcode, wherein each of the plurality of data tables includes data associated with implementing the associated function, and wherein the single hardware pipeline is further configured to compute at least one of the RCP, SQRT, EXP and LOG functions; wherein the polynomial approximation is of the form F(x)=a+b*(x−x0)+c*(x−x0)*(x−x1), where F(x) is an intermediate value used in the single hardware pipeline, x is an operand, x0 is a value greater than the operand, x1 is a value smaller than the operand, and values a, b, and c correspond to the values x0 and x1 and are retrieved from the plurality of data tables as coupled to the single hardware pipeline according to the at least one opcode.