Real Time Floating Point Computing-A Philosophy For Implementations

Charles M. Rader

doi:10.1117/12.938244

8 December 1978 Real Time Floating Point Computing-A Philosophy For Implementations

Charles M. Rader

Proceedings Volume 0154, Real-Time Signal Processing I; (1978) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.938244
Event: 22nd Annual Technical Symposium, 1978, San Diego, United States

Abstract

The exact definition of floating point computation has always varied from one computer to another and from one implementation to another. However, three points are common to almost all systems in use today: 1) representation of numbers by a multiplier and an exponent, with fixed integer base, 2) restriction of multiplier magnitude range (l/b,l) for uniqueness, 3) unique representation of zero. To implement the four operations, addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, for floating point, whether in hardware or in software, a worst case time can be identified which, for addition and subtraction, is often much larger than the average expected execution time, and which must be provided for in a real time system. An examination of the loss in accuracy associated with approximations which reduce these worst case times has led to a re-examination of an old idea, unnormalized floating point arithmetic, in the light of availability of modern hardware. We find that a system something like unnormalized floating point arithmetic is just right for most signal processing applications.

Citation Download Citation

Charles M. Rader "Real Time Floating Point Computing-A Philosophy For Implementations", Proc. SPIE 0154, Real-Time Signal Processing I, (8 December 1978); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.938244

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available

Members: $17.00

Non-members: $21.00 ADD TO CART

PROCEEDINGS
5 PAGES

DOWNLOAD PAPER SAVE TO MY LIBRARY

GET CITATION

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

Get copyright permission Get copyright permission on Copyright Marketplace

KEYWORDS

Signal processing

Computing systems

Signal attenuation

Binary data

Digital signal processing

Information technology

Electroluminescence

Keywords/Phrases

Search In:

Publication Years