Implementation of Efficient Exponential Function Approximation Algorithm Using Format Converter Based on Floating Point Operation in FPGA
Jeong-Seob Kim · Journal of Institute of Control Robotics and Systems · 2009
This paper presents the FPGA implementation of efficient algorithms for approximating exponential function based on floating point format data. The Taylor-Maclaurin expansion as a conventional approximation method becomes inefficient since high order expansion is required for the large number to satisfy the approximation error. A format converter is designed to convert fixed data format to floating data format, and then the real number is separated into two fields, an integer field and an exponent field to separately perform mathematic operations. A new assembly command is designed and added to previously developed command set to refer the math table. To test the proposed algorithm, assembly program has been developed. The program is downloaded into the Altera DSP KIT W/STRATIX II EP2S180N Board. Performances of the proposed method are compared with those of the Taylor-Maclaurin expansion.