Texas Instruments Corporation

G Subash Chandar

Alexander Tessarolo

Karthikeyan Rajan Madathil

Jais Abraham

A method of operating a processor in a variable bit-length environment by performing a maximum limit function and minimum limit function. The method comprises accessing a most significant portion of a first number in a first register, wherein the most significant portion of the first number includes a first value. The method also includes accessing a most significant portion of a second number that includes a maximum/minimum limit, wherein the most significant portion of the second number includes a second value. The method includes changing the most significant portion of the first number to match the most significant portion of the second number if the first value is greater/less than the second value and storing the most significant portion of the first number in the first register.

Processor with maximum and minimum instructions

A scannable storage circuit is provided that has a separate a scan output buffer for driving the scan output. The scan output buffer is coupled to the storage element in a parallel manner with the data output buffer so that normal data propagation is not delayed. The scan output buffer is gated by a scan enable input so that the scan output is quiescent when the storage circuit is not in scan mode. The selectively enabled scan output buffer is embodied with only four transistors.

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Tamil Nadu, India

G Subash Chandar