Leading zero count formation

Claim 1

A data processing system comprising: a cache memory for storing operand words and instructions including descriptors for defining the characteristics of said operands, said operand word includes a first predetermined number of decimal digits; a decimal unit coupled to said cache memory for receiving said operands for assembly into significant digit words in accordance with said descriptors by stripping zone bits, sign characters and exponent characters from said operands and for counting the number of leading zero digits of an operand on the same operational cycle in which the operand word is processed through the decimal unit; an execution unit coupled to said decimal unit for receiving said significant decimal digit words for performing a decimal numeric operation in accordance with said instructions; said decimal unit comprising: first means responsive to said descriptors for generating a plurality of adjusted length signals indicative of the number of words in said operand; second means coupled to said first means for complementing selected ones of said plurality of adjusted length signals for generating complemented signals indicative of a count of the number of words containing all leading zero digits, wherein the number of words in said operand and the number of words containing all of said leading zero digits equal a second predetermined number; a leading zero register having at least a first portion coupled to said second means for storing said complemented signals, and a second portion; third means coupled to said cache memory and responsive to said operands for generating decimal digit words by stripping zone bits, sign characters and exponent characters from said operands; fourth means coupled to said third means and said first portion for detecting all leading zeros in said decimal digit words, and generating a first signal in a first state, for incrementing the contents of said first portion by a third predetermined number, and said fourth means being coupled to said second portion and generating said first signal in said second state, and a plurality of second signals indicative of the number of leading zero digits in said decimal digit word containing a most significant digit, said leading zero register storing said leading zero count signals and is available to said execution unit in response to a microword command; Fifth means coupled to said third means and fourth means, and responsive to said first signal in said second state for generating and transferring said significant decimal digit words to said execution unit.