VLSI Digital Signal Processing: Some Arithmetic Issues

In this review paper we discuss selected issues associated with the implementation of arithmetic for VLSI Digital Signal Processors. We start with a Silicon Technology Roadmap view of the next decade, in order to grasp some of the issues facing the next generation of VLSI designers, particularly associated with high performance DSP systems. We use this roadmap to open the discussion on the role basic arithmetic operations play in the construction of DSP systems; in particular we look at the interplay between algorithms, architecture, arithmetic representation and circuit implementation. Many of the illustrative examples are taken from work conducted in the VLSI Research Group, University of Windsor over the past few years, including on-going work.