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:
Dec. 21, 1999
Filed:
Nov. 07, 1997
Applicant:
Inventors:
Raffaele Costa, Milan, IT;
Davide Santinoli, Milan, IT;
Assignee:
SGS Thompson Microelectronics S.r.l., Agrate Brianza, IT;
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
H03M / ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
341 65 ; 341 50 ; 341 67 ;
Abstract
A method for reducing the number of bits needed to represent constant values in a data processing device. A group of constant values is defined by selecting them as a function of their statistical frequency of use. Each constant value of this group in the instructions is represented by means of a shorter coded operand field and a current instruction is loaded from a bus in an instruction register. A corresponding operand field is derived from the coded operand field of the current instruction by expansion means, and a bus and an output of the expansion means are selectively connected as input to an arithmetic logic unit.