1 files changed, 78 insertions, 34 deletions
diff --git a/numpy/core/defmatrix.py b/numpy/core/defmatrix.py
index d8a5a14dc..5582f2878 100644
--- a/numpy/core/defmatrix.py
+++ b/numpy/core/defmatrix.py
@@ -2,7 +2,8 @@ __all__ = ['matrix', 'bmat', 'mat', 'asmatrix']
 
 import sys
 import numeric as N
-from numeric import concatenate, isscalar, binary_repr
+from numeric import concatenate, isscalar, binary_repr, identity
+from numpy.lib.utils import issubdtype
 
 # make translation table
 _table = [None]*256
@@ -46,6 +47,81 @@ def asmatrix(data, dtype=None):
     """
     return matrix(data, dtype=dtype, copy=False)
 
+def matrix_power(M,n):
+    """Raise a square matrix to the (integer) power n.
+
+    For positive integers n, the power is computed by repeated matrix
+    squarings and matrix multiplications. If n=0, the identity matrix
+    of the same type as M is returned. If n<0, the inverse is computed
+    and raised to the exponent.
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    M : array-like
+        Must be a square array (that is, of dimension two and with
+        equal sizes).
+    n : integer
+        The exponent can be any integer or long integer, positive
+        negative or zero.
+
+    Returns
+    -------
+    M to the power n
+        The return value is a an array the same shape and size as M;
+        if the exponent was positive or zero then the type of the
+        elements is the same as those of M. If the exponent was negative
+        the elements are floating-point.
+
+    Raises
+    ------
+    LinAlgException
+        If the matrix is not numerically invertible, an exception is raised.
+
+    See Also
+    --------
+    The matrix() class provides an equivalent function as the exponentiation
+    operator.
+
+    Examples
+    --------
+    >>> matrix_power(array([[0,1],[-1,0]]),10)
+    array([[-1,  0],
+           [ 0, -1]])
+    """
+    if len(M.shape) != 2 or M.shape[0] != M.shape[1]:
+        raise ValueError("input must be a square array")
+    if not issubdtype(type(n),int):
+        raise TypeError("exponent must be an integer")
+
+    from numpy.linalg import inv
+
+    if n==0:
+        M = M.copy()
+        M[:] = identity(M.shape[0])
+        return M
+    elif n<0:
+        M = inv(M)
+        n *= -1
+
+    result = M
+    if n <= 3:
+        for _ in range(n-1):
+            result=N.dot(result,M)
+        return result
+
+    # binary decomposition to reduce the number of Matrix
+    # multiplications for n > 3.
+    beta = binary_repr(n)
+    Z,q,t = M,0,len(beta)
+    while beta[t-q-1] == '0':
+        Z = N.dot(Z,Z)
+        q += 1
+    result = Z
+    for k in range(q+1,t):
+        Z = N.dot(Z,Z)
+        if beta[t-k-1] == '1':
+            result = N.dot(result,Z)
+    return result
 
 
 class matrix(N.ndarray):
@@ -195,39 +271,7 @@ class matrix(N.ndarray):
         return self
 
     def __pow__(self, other):
-        shape = self.shape
-        if len(shape) != 2 or shape[0] != shape[1]:
-            raise TypeError, "matrix is not square"
-        if type(other) in (type(1), type(1L)):
-            if other==0:
-                return matrix(N.identity(shape[0]))
-            if other<0:
-                x = self.I
-                other=-other
-            else:
-                x=self
-            result = x
-            if other <= 3:
-                while(other>1):
-                    result=result*x
-                    other=other-1
-                return result
-            # binary decomposition to reduce the number of Matrix
-            #  Multiplies for other > 3.
-            beta = binary_repr(other)
-            t = len(beta)
-            Z,q = x.copy(),0
-            while beta[t-q-1] == '0':
-                Z *= Z
-                q += 1
-            result = Z.copy()
-            for k in range(q+1,t):
-                Z *= Z
-                if beta[t-k-1] == '1':
-                    result *= Z
-            return result
-        else:
-            raise TypeError, "exponent must be an integer"
+        return matrix_power(self, other)
 
     def __rpow__(self, other):
         return NotImplemented