CODEWITHSUNDEEP
binarybit-manipulationbitwise-operatorscpu-architecture
ironstein
ironstein

Reputation: 547

How to clear the left most bit (that is set) of a binary number

I was reading this paper about a binary multiplier unit. The paper proposes an architecture for an iterative logarithmic multiplier. The block diagram of the proposed architecture is shown below :

enter image description here

The entire block diagram is not important, the question relates to a very small part of it. I wish to know how is N1 - 2^k1 calculated. The diagram shows a LOD (I don't know what that is) block, followed by an XOR gate, and it generates the value of N1 - 2^k1, which is basically clearing the left most bit that is set.

I don't understand this. Please help.

Upvotes: 1

Views: 251

Answers (1)

user555045
user555045

Reputation: 64904

They mention in the text that it's a Leading One Detector, that is, it forms of a mask that indicates which bit (if any) is the leading one in its input. That's actually kind of obvious, because that's precisely what we know it should be doing from the semantics.

A possible implementation of the LOD is given in one of the references.

Upvotes: 1

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