NORMALIZER FOR DETERMINING THE POSITIONS OF BITS THAT ARE SET IN A MASK

A normalizer that identifies the bits that are set in input data and generates output signals representing the positions of the set bits in the input data. The normalizer has a device arranged to receive an n-bit signal. Each of the bits of the n-bit signal are either set or clear. The normalizer operates iteratively, and during each iteration: determines an end most set bit; generates a signal representing position information for this end most set bit; and clears the end most set bit that was identified during the immediately previous iteration. The normalizer also includes a novel bit counter that provides a count of the number of bits set in the input data.