Something very interesting I found.
Mark any comments?
XLNS Research Purchases Patent to Speed
Up Math on DSP and Embedded Processors
Business Wire - June 18, 1999 11:53
BOULDER, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 18, 1999--XLNS Research
announced today that it has recently purchased a patent that uses logarithms to
speed up computer arithmetic.
This invention has the potential to enable cheap fixed point DSP and
embedded processors to perform single precision calculations at speeds much
faster than conventional floating point software. The patent was purchased
from an independent inventor, Mark Arnold, who is also a member of the
Computer Science department at the University of Wyoming.
The patent is titled "Method and Apparatus for Fast Logarithmic Addition and
Subtraction" (U.S. Patent 5,337,266 issued on August 9, 1994). Acquisition
of this patent is the first step in XLNS Research's plan to develop a portfolio
of proprietary technology that can be sold or licensed to established
microprocessor and software firms in the embedded controller and digital
signal processing (DSP) industries. The patent also enables XLNS to reassure
potential customers that its future software will be free of patent infringement
issues.
XLNS Research is pleased to join the ranks of firms that own patented
inventions that use a logarithmic representation of numbers to speed up
calculations. Motorola, VLSI Technology and Log Point Technologies are
some of the firms that have been granted patents in this field. Although
university and corporate research in this field extends back to at least the
1970's, inventions capable of supporting 32-bit logarithmic calculations only
became practical in the last decade because of advances in memory capacity.
In the academic and patent literature, this field is commonly referred to as
Logarithmic Number Systems (LNS). Log Point Technologies prefers to use
the term "exponential floating point" (refer to their press release of March 17,
1999).
Because other firms have LNS patents, and because the public domain
contains many LNS inventions that have been published in research articles,
XLNS Research's patent does not enable it to prevent others from entering the
LNS field. The common features shared by all LNS inventions are single cycle
operations (multiplication, division, squares, square roots), dynamic range and
precision comparable to floating point, and minimal CPU silicon (if the
logarithm tables needed for addition and subtraction can be stored in external
memory). LNS technology thus offers the potential to speed up the
"multiply-accumulate" operation that is prevalent in DSP applications. Of
course each LNS invention also offers a unique combination of precision,
speed, space, and power consumption. XLNS Research's recently acquired
patent enables XLNS to offer a proprietary 32-bit LNS at a competitive
price.
XLNS Research hopes to make the majority of its revenues by selling or
licensing its present and future proprietary LNS technology to established
microprocessor and software firms. In order to stimulate demand for these
products, XLNS is presently developing LNS software that is based on public
domain LNS technology. This software will eventually be distributed at low /
no cost as per the "open source software" business model. As noted by Mr.
Arnold, "The GNU and Linux operating systems have achieved considerable
success with open source software, and I hope that this strategy will also
enable XLNS Research to achieve comparable success with my patent."
Mr. Arnold teaches courses in computer architecture at the University of
Wyoming. He is also the author of a recent textbook about integrated circuit
design ("Verilog Digital Computer Design: Algorithms into Hardware,"
Prentice-Hall, 1998, www.phptr.com/ptrbooks/ptr_0136392539.html). He
has written several research papers on LNS technology. Mr. Arnold believes
that his 1982 thesis was the first published work to suggest the use of logs and
antilogs for interpolation of the function required for logarithmic addition.
XLNS Research is a Colorado sole proprietorship that uses consultants in lieu
of a permanent staff. The founder, Mark Winkel, is a software engineer
formerly with one of Hewlett-Packard's R&D labs. This is a very speculative
enterprise and will remain so until LNS technology is used in a few high
volume products, attracts customers, and generates profits. XLNS hopes that
there will eventually be some lucrative niche markets for its products. XLNS is
investigating financing options so that it can overcome severe capital
constraints that are impeding product development.
XLNS Research believes that its products will coexist in the market with those
from Log Point Technologies (OTC BB:LGPT). Each firm's patents have
different footprints and are thus apt to appeal to different segments of the
market. For more information about Log Point's products, refer to
www.logpoint.com.
The patent was purchased by XLNS Research on May 13. On June 17,
XLNS received word from its patent attorney confirming that the associated
paperwork has been sent to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO). It
is anticipated that it will take the PTO two to three months to update its
records accordingly.
Although the primary audience for this press release is the embedded
controller and DSP industries, XLNS Research realizes that this press release
might also be of interest to LGPT investors. XLNS therefore voluntarily
discloses that throughout 1998 (i.e., before XLNS Research was established),
its founder accumulated shares in Log Point Technologies on the open market.
After establishing XLNS Research, Mr. Winkel ceased trading in LGPT stock
(with the exception of the purchase of 5,000 shares between 4/8/99 and
4/12/99). Presently, Mr. Winkel's holdings are less than 1% of LGPT's issued
stock. This position in LGPT stock will eventually be sold in full or part. Mr.
Winkel has not, and will not, short LGPT stock.
CONTACT: XLNS Research
Mark Winkel, Voice Mail: 303/527-0276
E-mail: info@xlnsresearch.com
Web: www.xlnsresearch.com
Fax at Kinko's: 303/449-7805
(list XLNS voice mail number on cover sheet)
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