Digital filtering using the multidimensional logarithmic number system

We introduce the use of multidimensional logarithmic number system (MDLNS) as a generalization of the classical 1-D logarithmic number system (LNS) and analyze its use in DSP applications. The major drawback of the LNS is the requirement to use very large ROM arrays in implementing the additions and subtraction and it limits its use to low-precision applications. MDLNS allows exponential reduction of the size of the ROMs used without affecting the speed of the computational process; moreover, the calculations over different bases and digits are completely independent, which makes this particular representation perfectly suitable for massively parallel DSP architectures. The use of more than one base has at least two extra advantages. Firstly, the proposed architecture allows us to obtain the final result straightforwardly in binary form, thus, there is no need of the exponential amplifier, used in the known LNS architectures. Secondly, the second base can be optimized in accordance to the specific digital filter characteristics. This leads to dramatic reduction of the exponents used and, consequently, to large area savings. We offer many examples showing the computational advantages of the proposed approach.