Floating point multiply-add unit with denormal number support

摘要

The present application provides a method and apparatus for supporting denormal numbers in a floating point multiply-add unit (FMAC). One embodiment of the FMAC is configurable to add a product of first and second operands to a third operand. This embodiment of the FMAC is configurable to determine a minimum exponent shift for a sum of the product and the third operand by subtracting a minimum normal exponent from a product exponent of the product. This embodiment of the FMAC is also configurable to cause bits representing the sum to be left shifted by the minimum exponent shift if a third exponent of the third operand is less than or equal to the product exponent and the minimum exponent shift is less than or equal to a predicted left shift for the sum.

主权项

1. A floating point multiply-add unit (FMAC) configurable to add a product of first and second operands to a third operand, wherein the FMAC comprises:
a minimum exponent determination hardware module to determine a minimum exponent shift for a sum of the product and the third operand by subtracting a minimum normal exponent from a product exponent of the product; and a left shift hardware module to cause bits representing the sum to be left shifted by the minimum exponent shift if a third exponent of the third operand is less than or equal to the product exponent and the minimum exponent shift is less than or equal to a predicted left shift for the sum.