Patent attributes
A reconfigurable bit-manipulation node is disclosed that includes an execution unit configured to perform a number of bit-oriented functions and a control unit configured to control the execution unit to allow one of the bit-oriented functions to be performed. The execution unit is comprised of interconnected elements that include a programmable butterfly unit, a number of non-programmable butterfly units, a number of data path elements, a look-up table memory, and a reorder memory. The execution unit is capable of engaging in one of a number of operating modes to perform the bit-oriented functions. The operating modes include a programmable mode and a number of fixed operating modes including Viterbi decoding, turbo decoding and variable length encoding and decoding. The data path elements include a programmable shifter and a programmable combiner.