Arithmetic processor and divider using redundant signed digit arithmetic

Abstract

An arithmetic processor and an addition/subtraction circuit therefor are disclosed. The arithmetic processor comprises a plurality of the addition/subtraction units arranged in parallel, each unit being capable of carrying out addition (or subtraction) with respect to respective digits of two operands. An addition/subtraction unit comprises a first circuit and a second circuit coupled to receive binary signals each representing a respective digit of the operands. At least a first of the two binary signals is a 2-bit signal representing a signed digit expression, one bit of which ('the sign bit') represents the sign of one of the digits of the operands and the other bit of which ('the magnitude bit') represents the magnitude of that one digit of the operands. The first circuit provides a binary signal representing an intermediate carry (or borrow) and the second circuit provides a binary signal representing an intermediate sum (or difference) from the two binary signals representing the digits of the operands. The addition/subtraction unit further comprises a third circuit which is coupled to receive the intermediate sum (or difference) binary signal output from the second circuit and a binary signal representing an intermediate carry (or borrow) from a next-lower-order digit, and outputs a 2-bit binary signal representing an addend (or subtrahend). That 2-bit signal output by the third circuit represents a signed digit expression, one bit, i.e., the sign bit, represents the sign of the addend (or subtrahend) and the other bit, i.e., the magnitude bit, represents the magnitude of the addend (or subtrahend).