Abstract: A three input arithmetic logic unit (230) that generates a combination of the three inputs that is selected by a function signal. The second input signal comes from a controllable barrel rotator (235). The rotate amount is a default rotate amount stored in a special data register, a predetermined set of bits of data recalled from a data register or zero. A one's constant source (236) is connected to the barrel rotator (235) to supply a multibit digital signal of "1". This permits generating a second input signal of the form 2.sup.N, with N being the rotate amount. The output of the barrel rotator (235) may be stored independently of the arithmetic logic unit (230) result. The third input signal comes from a multiplexer (233) that selects between an instruction specified immediate field, data recalled from a data register or a mask input from a mask generator (239). One preferred form of the mask has a number of right justified 1's corresponding to a mask input signal.

Abstract: There is disclosed a multiprocessor system and method arranged, in one embodiment, as an image and graphics processor. The processor is structured with several individual processors all having communication links to several memories without restriction. A crossbar switch serves to establish the processor memory links and an inter-processor communication link allows the processors to communicate with each other for the purpose of establishing operational modes. A parameter memory, accessible via the crossbar switch, is used in conjunction with the communication link for control purposes. The entire image processor, including the individual processors, the crossbar switch and the memories, is contained on a single silicon chip.

Abstract: A data processing address generator includes a plurality of address registers, a plurality of index address registers, a modulo register storing a plurality of carry break indicators and an arithmetic unit. The arithmetic unit adds or subtracts a selected address register and a selected index register. The arithmetic unit generates a normal carry between a particular bit and the next more significant bit if a corresponding carry break indicator stored in said modulo register has a first digital state. The arithmetic unit breaks any carry between the particular bit and the next more significant bit if the corresponding carry break indicator has a second digital state. The carry break may be dependent upon a modulo qualifier bit being in an enabling state. The modulo qualifier bit may be stored in one of a plurality of qualifier registers corresponding to the address registers.

Abstract: A data processing apparatus includes a three input arithmetic logic unit (230) that generates a combination of the three inputs that is selected by a function signal. Data registers (200) store the three data inputs and the arithmetic logic unit output. The second input signal comes from a controllable barrel rotator (235). The rotate amount is a default rotate amount stored in a special data register, a predetermined set of bits of data recalled from a data register or zero. A one's constant source (236) is connected to the barrel rotator (235) to supply a multibit digital signal of "1". This permits generating a second input signal of the form 2.sup.N, with N being the rotate amount. The output of the barrel rotator (235) may be stored independently of the arithmetic logic unit (230) result. A controllable shifter is an alternative to the barrel rotator (235).

Abstract: A three input arithmetic logic unit (230) forms a mixed arithmetic and Boolean combination of three multibit input signals. The arithmetic logic unit (230) first forms a Boolean combination and then forms an arithmetic combination. The current instruction drives an instruction decoder (250, 245) that generates the functions signals F0-F7 which control the combination formed. The three input arithmetic logic unit (230) preferably employs a set of bit circuits (400), each forming carry propagate, generate and kill signals. These signals may employed with a multilevel logic tree circuit and a carry input to produce a bit resultant and a carry output to the next bit circuit. This structure permits formation of selected arithmetic, Boolean or mixed arithmetic and Boolean function of the three input signals based upon the current instruction. Selection of the function signals enables the combination to be insensitive to one of the input signals, thus performs a two input function of remaining input signals.

Abstract: An iterative technique for division having a divisor of N bits and a numerator of more than N bits. Each iteration includes initial detection of the position of a left most one bit (1011, 1035) of N most significant bits of the numerator. If this L is not zero, then the numerator is left shifted by L places (1016, 1039), the next L quotient bits are set to zero and the number of completed iterations is incremented by L. An alternative embodiment detects bit position of the left most one of an exclusive OR of the N most significant bits of the numerator and the divisor. Next the divisor is subtracted from the N most significant bits of the numerator. If the difference is greater than or equal to zero, then the next quotient bit is "1" and the difference is substituted for the N most significant bits of the numerator. If the difference is less than zero, then the next quotient bit is "0". Then the numerator is left shifted one place. These iterations repeat until they exceed N.

Abstract: A data processing apparatus includes an arithmetic logic unit is divided into a plurality of sections. Each section generates at a corresponding output a digital resultant signal representing a combination of respective subsets of first and second multibit digital inputs. The arithmetic logic unit includes a status detector generating a single bit status signal indicative of said digital resultant signal of a corresponding section of the arithmetic logic unit. These single bit status signals are stored in predetermined locations within a multiple flags register. An options register stores an indication of the number of sections selected from a plurality of possible number of sections into which the arithmetic logic unit is divided.

Abstract: A data processing apparatus includes a three input arithmetic logic unit (230) that generates a combination of the three inputs that is selected by a function signal. Data registers (200) store the three data inputs and the arithmetic logic unit output. The second input signal comes from a controllable barrel rotator (235). The rotate amount is a default rotate amount stored in a special data register, a predetermined set of bits of data recalled from a data register or zero. A one's constant source (236) is connected to the barrel rotator (235) to supply a multibit digital signal of "1". This permits generating a second input signal of the form 2.sup.N, with N being the rotate amount. The output of the barrel rotator (235) may be stored independently of the arithmetic logic unit (230) result. A controllable shifter is an alternative to the barrel rotator (235).

Abstract: A synchronous random access memory is arranged to be responsive directly to a system clock signal for operating synchronously with the associated microprocessor. The synchronous random access memory is further arranged to either write-in or read out data in a synchronous burst operation or synchronous wrap operation in addition to synchronous random access operations. The synchronous random access memory device may be fabricated as a dynamic storage device or as a static storage device.

Abstract: Data processor with a transparency detection data transfer controller. Transparency register stores transparency data. Source address controller calculates source addresses for recall of data to be transferred. A comparator compares recalled data to stored transparency data and indicates whether data to be transferred is to be written to memory. Destination address controller writes data to be transferred into memory at calculated destination addresses if the comparator indicates data to be transferred is to be written to memory. The recalled data is stored in a source register for comparison. In the preferred embodiment data is not written into memory if it matches the transparency data. The transparency register may store a multiple of the minimum amount of data to be transferred. The data to be transferred is organized into data words having a selected size. This selected size is an integral multiple of a minimum amount of data to be transferred.

Abstract: A processing system operates on data words each having first and second portions. A first memory stores the first portion of a first data word accessible by a first set of address bits received at first address inputs and a second set of address bits received at second address inputs, and stores the second portion of a second word accessible by the first set of address bits received at the first address inputs and a third set of address bits received at the second address inputs. A second memory stores the first portion of the second data word accessible by a first set of address bits received at first address inputs and a second set of bits received at second address input, and stores the second portion of the first word accessible by the first set of address bits received at the first address inputs and a third set of address bits received at the second address inputs. A first access mode accesses a selected one of the first and second portions of both the first and second words.

Abstract: This invention is a data processor including a data transfer controller. The data transfer controller includes internal and external memory interfaces coupled to internal and external memory, respectively. A pipeline controller controls the internal memory interface and the external memory interface. A source address generator generates addresses for reading data. A destination address generator generates addresses for writing data. Buffer circuitry interposed between the source address generator and the destination address generator permits data to be aligned to differing source and destination data word sizes and differing data word boundaries. An external sequencer provides control signals for the external memory via the external memory interface. In the preferred embodiment, the buffer circuitry includes a first-in-first-out (FIFO) buffer having a plurality of registers. This permits continued operations in many cases when either the source or destination memory operations temporarily stall.

Abstract: There is disclosed a multiprocessor system and method arranged, in one embodiment, as an image and graphics processor. The processor is structured with several individual processors all having communication links to several memories without restriction. A crossbar switch serves to establish the processor memory links and an inter-processor communication link allows the processors to communicate with each other for the purpose of establishing operational modes. A parameter memory, accessible via the crossbar switch, is used in conjunction with the communication link for control purposes. The entire image processor, including the individual processors, the crossbar switch and the memories, is contained on a single silicon chip.

Abstract: The present invention is a programmable data processing system and apparatus which operates as an independent microprocessor. The programmable data processing system of the present invention stores both general purpose and special purpose graphic instructions. The programmable data processing apparatus of the present invention has both types of instructions within its instruction set. This provision of a single processing apparatus for preforming both types of instructions enables a highly flexible solution to bit map graphics problems. This is because the program of the data processing apparatus may be altered to provide the most desirable graphics algorithm without loss of the general purpose calculation and program flow capability of a general purpose data processor. The data processor of the present invention may serve as a parallel processor for a host data processing system for primarily control of bit mapped graphics.

Abstract: A graphics display system includes a random access memory arranged with a split serial register and a multiplexer for coupling column of storage cells from the memory array to storage elements of the split serial register. Data stored in either a low half or a high half of the addresses of the memory array may be selectively coupled through the multiplexer to either a low half or a high half of the split serial register. For a tile oriented graphics display operation, this arrangement increases the number of choices of where within the random access memory array to store specific bits of the tile data to be displayed. Data representing a tile can be mapped into a single row of the random access memory array.

Abstract: A data processor Huffman encodes a series of multibit signed digital numbers determining the needed data size by detecting the bit position of the greatest significant bit that differs from the most significant bit. Either a left most bit change detector (237) determines this bit position or a left most one detector (237) determines this bit position from the absolute value of the multibit signed digital number. A set of least significant bits equal in number to the data size are selected from the multibit signed digital number. The data processor formed the Huffman encoded signal by concatenating the data size and the selected least significant bits if the original multibit signed digital number was greater than or equal to zero, or by concatenating the data size with the sum of the selected bits and a multibit digital constant having a number of "1's" equal to the data size.

Abstract: A data processing apparatus which operates on instruction controlling plural processor actions. Each instruction includes a data unit section and an independent data transfer section. The data unit section includes a data operation field that indicates the type of arithmetic logic unit operation and six operand fields. The six operand fields include four source data register fields and two destination register fields. The data unit (110) includes a multiplication unit (220) and an arithmetic logic unit (230). The data unit (110) may include a barrel rotator (235) for one input of the arithmetic logic unit (230). The rotated data may be stored in the first destination register instead of the multiply result. The address unit (120) operations according to the data transfer operation field. This could be a load, a store or a register to register move. Operations may be conditional based upon conditions stored in a status register (210) set by a prior output of the arithmetic logic unit (230).

Abstract: A three input arithmetic logic unit (230) forms a mixed arithmetic and Boolean combination of three multibit input signals. The current instruction drives an instruction decoder (250, 245) that generates functions signals F0-F7 which control the combination formed. The three input arithmetic logic unit (230) preferably employs a set of bit circuits (400), each forming carry propagate, generate and kill signals. These signals and a carry input produce a bit resultant and a carry output to the next bit circuit. Selection of the function signals enables the combination to be insensitive to one of the input signals, thus performing a two input function of remaining input signals. The instruction itself may include the function signals and function modification bits, or the function signals and function modification signals may be stored in a special data register. Function modification signals cause modification of the function signals prior to use.

Abstract: A data processor with a transparency detection data transfer controller transfers data from a block of source addresses to a block of destination addresses. A transparency register stores transparency data. A comparator compares the recalled data to the stored transparency data and indicates whether the data to be transferred is to be written to the memory. The recalled data to be transferred is not to be written into the memory if it matches the transparency data. The transparency register may store a multiple of a multibit minimum amount of data to be transferred. The data to be transferred has a selected size which is an integral multiple of a minimum amount of data to be transferred. The comparator includes plural data comparators corresponding to each multibit minimum amount of data to be transferred.

Abstract: A data processing device includes a memory, a control circuit, a guide table and an address generating circuit. The control circuit receives a packet transfer request and packet transfer parameters. The packet transfer parameters include a start address, dimension values defining a block of addresses, guide table having guide table entries and a table pointer. Each guide table entry has an address value. The table pointer initially points to a first guide table entry in the guide table. The address generating circuit forms a set of a block of addresses for memory access corresponding to each guide table entry, having a start address from a predetermined combination of the start address and the address value of the guide table entry. The block of addresses are formed from the dimension values. Following the memory accesses, the address generating circuit updates the table pointer to point to a next entry in the guide table.