Variable Barrel Shifter with Pivot Routing for Multi-Length Delta Shifts
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing barrel shifter architectures are inefficient for processing data words of different lengths, requiring multiple shifters to handle varying data sizes and shift values.
Innovation Solution
A variable barrel shifter with configurable internal routing, including a pivot circuit and multiplexers, allows for delta shifts between data words of different sizes and shift values, enabling efficient processing without the need for multiple shifters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple barrel shifters are used to handle data words of different lengths, then the system can process varying data sizes, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a single barrel shifter that can handle multiple data word lengths (e.g., 64-bit, 128-bit, 256-bit) by configuring its internal components. The shifter uses a unified architecture with configurable pivot points and shift amounts, allowing one device to perform the functions that would otherwise require multiple dedicated shifters for different data sizes.
Solution Approach 2:
The barrel shifter employs dynamic configuration of pivot points and shift amounts based on the input data length. The pivot circuit can be reconfigured to different pivot points, and the shift amount can be adjusted dynamically, enabling the same hardware to adapt to various data word lengths without requiring multiple fixed-architecture shifters.
2Device complexity
If a fixed-architecture barrel shifter is used, then the circuit structure is simple, but it cannot efficiently process data words of varying lengths and shift values
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic configurability to the barrel shifter architecture through pivot circuits that can be set to different pivot points and shift amounts. This dynamic configuration allows the shifter to adapt to varying data lengths and shift requirements while maintaining a relatively simple base circuit structure, resolving the contradiction between simplicity and versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The barrel shifter changes its operational parameters (pivot point position, shift amount, data width) based on the input requirements. By allowing these parameters to be configured dynamically rather than fixed during manufacturing, the shifter can efficiently process various data formats without requiring multiple dedicated circuits for each configuration.
3Productivity
If multiple barrel shifters are deployed to handle different shift values, then all shift operations can be performed in parallel, but the productivity gain is offset by increased device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a single multi-functional barrel shifter that can perform shift operations for different data widths and shift amounts within the same device. This unified approach provides parallel processing capability for multiple data streams or iterative operations without requiring multiple separate shifter units, thus maintaining productivity while reducing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The dynamic reconfiguration capability of the pivot circuit and shift amount control allows the single shifter to efficiently handle multiple shift operations in sequence or parallel, adapting its parameters to match the specific requirements of each operation. This dynamic adaptation enables flexible parallel processing without the overhead of multiple fixed shifters.
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment a variable barrel shifter includes a shifter operable to apply a cyclic shift to each of a number of portions of a data word, a pivot circuit operable to swap sections of the data word around at least one pivot point in the data word, a first multiplexer operable to select between an input of the variable barrel shifter or an output of the pivot circuit as an input to the shifter, a second multiplexer operable to select between the input of the variable barrel shifter or an output of the shifter as an input to the pivot circuit, and a third multiplexer operable to select between the output of the shifter or the output of the pivot circuit as an output to the variable barrel shifter.