The author created a simple C program to determine the taps for maximal-length LFSRs with 2 to 32 bits. The problem is weeding out the ones that do from the ones that don’t, because badly chosen taps can result in the register entering a loop comprising only a limited number of states.

Comparison of XOR versus XNOR feedback paths.Įach LFSR supports a number of tap combinations that will generate maximal-length sequences. This is because LFSRs with XOR feedback paths will not sequence through the value where all the bits are 0, while their XNOR equivalents will not sequence through the value where all the bits are 1 ( Fig 3).ģ. However, both of the LFSRs shown in Fig 2 are said to be of maximal length because they sequence through every possible value (excluding all of the bits being 0) before returning to their initial values.Ī binary field with ‘n’ bits can assume 2^n unique values, but a maximal-length LFSR with ‘n’ register bits will only sequence through (2^n – 1) values. In some cases an LFSR will end up cycling round a loop comprising a limited number of values. Comparison of alternative tap selections.īoth LFSRs start with the same initial value but, due to the different taps, their sequences rapidly diverge as clock pulses are applied. For example, consider two 3-bit XOR based LFSRs with different tap selections ( Fig 2).Ģ. The sequence of values generated by an LFSR is determined by its feedback function (XOR versus XNOR) and tap selection. The data input to the LFSR is generated by XOR-ing or XNOR-ing the tap bits the remaining bits function as a standard shift register. All of the register elements share a common clock input, which is omitted from the symbol for reasons of clarity.

The taps in this example are at bit 0 and bit 2, and can be referenced as.

3 bit linear feedback shift register