The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 29, 1997
Filed:
Aug. 12, 1994
Kenneth S Gray, Jericho, VT (US);
Steven F Oakland, Colchester, VT (US);
International Business Machines Corp., Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
This disclosure sets forth the use of input 2-bit encoders to form an encoder network capable of handling any number of encoder inputs by using the VALID output of each input 2-bit encoder as a data input to a later stage encoder and to select 2-way selector circuits using the code outputs of the input 2-bit encoders for selection of highest match. This is accomplished through the use of first and second input 2.sup.n encoders, the first being provided with the 2.sup.n high order inputs and the second being supplied with the 2.sup.n low order inputs and the outputs of the input encoders being coupled to a single 2-input encoder and n 2-way selectors to provide an encoder network with fewer circuits and better performance due to fewer stages of delay. If the number of desired inputs to the network is less than 2.sup.n but greater than 2.sup.n-1, known logic reduction techniques may be applied to the next higher 2.sup.n input encoder network to implement the desired 2.sup.n-1 encoder network.