An automatic word length determination method

Abstract:- Automatic word length determination of hardware data paths may require considering several error models, user specifications and hardware costs. A new automatic method for determining the word length of hardware data paths that consider these requirements is proposed and analyzed. The search-based method uses a C/C++ fixed-point simulation tool to model the impact of finite word lengths on overall accuracy. By computing dissimilarities between fixed-point and floating-point simulation results, a procedure searches for a combination of word lengths that meets accuracy criteria specified by the designer. This method is presented with four novel maximization procedures. These four automatic procedures are compared with other procedures given in the literature and adapted into the method. The comparison helps to select a procedure that finds a combination of word lengths that meet user specifications, in a small number of iterations. The procedures are characterized and compared using a dozen DSP algorithms