Abstract: Dynamic resource allocation is provided in which additional resources, such as additional architected registers, are provided to an instruction, if it is determined that resources in addition to those configured to be provided to the instruction are to be used for the particular instruction. An instruction to be executed is dispatched on a pipe of a pipeline and that pipe is configured to have a set number of architected registers for use by the instruction. However, if one or more other architected registers are needed, those additional architected registers are dynamically allocated to the instruction by assigning one or more source ports of an additional pipe to the instruction.

Abstract: Dynamic resource allocation is provided in which additional resources, such as additional architected registers, are provided to an instruction, if it is determined that resources in addition to those configured to be provided to the instruction are to be used for the particular instruction. An instruction to be executed is dispatched on a pipe of a pipeline and that pipe is configured to have a set number of architected registers for use by the instruction. However, if one or more other architected registers are needed, those additional architected registers are dynamically allocated to the instruction by assigning one or more source ports of an additional pipe to the instruction.

Abstract: A decimal floating point (DFP) unit is used to execute fixed point instructions. Two or more operands are accepted, wherein each operand is in a packed binary coded decimal (BCD) format. Any invalid BCD formats are detected by checking the operands for any invalid BCD codes. It is determined if an exception flag exists and, if so, outputting the flag; it is determined if a condition code exists and, if so, outputting the code. An operation is performed on the two or more operands to generate a result; wherein the operation takes place directly on BCD data, thus using the DFP unit to perform a BCD operation; appending a result sign to the result of the operation; and providing the result of the operation and the appended result sign as a result output in a packed BCD format.

Abstract: A processor includes a microarchitecture for working around a processing flaw, the microarchitecture including: at least one detector adapted for detecting a predetermined state associated with the processing flaw; and at least one mechanism to modify default processor processing behavior; and upon modification of processing behavior, the processing of an instruction involving the processing flaw can be completed by avoiding the processing flaw.

Abstract: A method for performing decimal division including receiving a scaled divisor and a scaled dividend into input registers. A subset of multiples of the scaled divisor is stored in a plurality of multiples registers. Quotient digits are calculated in response to the scaled divisor and the scaled dividend. Each quotient digit is calculated in three clock cycles by a pipeline mechanism. The calculating includes selecting a new quotient digit, and calculating a new remainder. Input to the calculating a new remainder includes data from one or more of the multiples registers.

Abstract: A method for implementing an adder including receiving a first and second operand. A sum of one or more corresponding digits from the first operand and the second operand is calculated. The calculating is performed by a plurality of adder blocks. Output from the calculating includes the sum of the corresponding digits and a carry out indicator for the corresponding digits. The sums of the corresponding digits and the carry out indicators in a carry chain are stored in an intermediate result register. Each of the sums in the intermediate result register is incremented by one. A selection between each of the sums and the sums incremented by one is performed. Input to the selecting includes the carry chain, and the output from the selecting includes a final sum of the first operand and the second operand. The final sum is stored in an output register.

Abstract: A method for performing a decimal floating point operation including receiving a first operand having a first coefficient and a first exponent into a first register. A second operand having a second coefficient and a second exponent are received into a second register. An operation, either addition or subtraction, associated with the first operand and the second operand is received. Three concurrent calculations are performed on the first operand and the second operand. The three concurrent calculations include: applying the operation to the first operand and the second operand based on a first assumption; applying the operation to the first operand and the second operand based on a second assumption; and applying the operation to the first operand and the second operand based on a third assumption. A final result is selected from the first result, the second result and the third result.

Abstract: A method for performing decimal multiplication including storing a multiplier and a multiplicand in operand registers, the multiplier including one or more digits. A running sum is stored in a shifter and initialized to zero. The method includes performing for each of the digits in the multiplier in order from least significant digit to most significant digit: creating a partial product of the digit and the multiplicand and adding the partial product to the running sum. The running sum is output as the result of multiplying the multiplier and the multiplicand. The performing and outputting are implemented by a mechanism that includes one or more two cycle adders connected to the operand registers, multiplicand multiples circuitry connected to the operand registers, and a result digits register connected to the two cycle adders.

Abstract: A method for converting from decimal to binary including receiving a binary coded decimal (BCD) number made up of one or more sets of three digits. A running sum and a running carry are set to zero. A process is performed for each set of three digits in the BCD number in order from the set of three digits containing the three most significant digits of the BCD number to the digits containing the three least significant digits of the BCD number. The process includes: creating six partial products based on the set of three digits, the running sum and the running carry; combining the six partial products into two partial products; and storing the two partial products in the running sum and the running carry. The running sum and the running carry from each set of three digits are combined into a final binary result.

Abstract: A decimal floating point (DFP) unit is used to execute fixed point instructions. Two or more operands are accepted, wherein each operand is in a packed binary coded decimal (BCD) format. Any invalid BCD formats are detected by checking the operands for any invalid BCD codes. It is determined if an exception flag exists and, if so, outputting the flag; it is determined if a condition code exists and, if so, outputting the code. An operation is performed on the two or more operands to generate a result; wherein the operation takes place directly on BCD data, thus using the DFP unit to perform a BCD operation; appending a result sign to the result of the operation; and providing the result of the operation and the appended result sign as a result output in a packed BCD format.

Abstract: A processor includes a microarchitecture for working around a processing flaw, the microarchitecture including: at least one detector adapted for detecting a predetermined state associated with the processing flaw; and at least one mechanism to modify default processor processing behavior; and upon modification of processing behavior, the processing of an instruction involving the processing flaw can be completed by avoiding the processing flaw.

Abstract: A method for performing decimal division including receiving a scaled divisor and a scaled dividend into input registers. A subset of multiples of the scaled divisor is stored in a plurality of multiples registers. Quotient digits are calculated in response to the scaled divisor and the scaled dividend. Each quotient digit is calculated in three clock cycles by a pipeline mechanism. The calculating includes selecting a new quotient digit, and calculating a new remainder. Input to the calculating a new remainder includes data from one or more of the multiples registers.

Abstract: A method for performing a decimal floating point operation including receiving a first operand having a first coefficient and a first exponent into a first register. A second operand having a second coefficient and a second exponent are received into a second register. An operation, either addition or subtraction, associated with the first operand and the second operand is received. Three concurrent calculations are performed on the first operand and the second operand. The three concurrent calculations include: applying the operation to the first operand and the second operand based on a first assumption; applying the operation to the first operand and the second operand based on a second assumption; and applying the operation to the first operand and the second operand based on a third assumption. A final result is selected from the first result, the second result and the third result.

Abstract: A method for performing decimal multiplication including storing a multiplier and a multiplicand in operand registers, the multiplier including one or more digits. A running sum is stored in a shifter and initialized to zero. The method includes performing for each of the digits in the multiplier in order from least significant digit to most significant digit: creating a partial product of the digit and the multiplicand and adding the partial product to the running sum. The running sum is output as the result of multiplying the multiplier and the multiplicand. The performing and outputting are implemented by a mechanism that includes one or more two cycle adders connected to the operand registers, multiplicand multiples circuitry connected to the operand registers, and a result digits register connected to the two cycle adders.

Abstract: A method for implementing an adder including receiving a first and second operand. A sum of one or more corresponding digits from the first operand and the second operand is calculated. The calculating is performed by a plurality of adder blocks. Output from the calculating includes the sum of the corresponding digits and a carry out indicator for the corresponding digits. The sums of the corresponding digits and the carry out indicators in a carry chain are stored in an intermediate result register. Each of the sums in the intermediate result register is incremented by one. A selection between each of the sums and the sums incremented by one is performed. Input to the selecting includes the carry chain, and the output from the selecting includes a final sum of the first operand and the second operand. The final sum is stored in an output register.

Abstract: A method for performing a decimal floating point operation. A first operand including a first coefficient and a first exponent is received. The method also includes receiving a second operand that includes a second coefficient and a second exponent. An operation associated with the first operand and the second operand is received. The operation is an addition or a subtraction. Three concurrent calculations are performed on the first operand and the second operand. The first concurrent calculation includes applying the operation to the first operand and the second operand based on a first assumption that the first exponent is equal to the second exponent. The applying the operation based on the first assumption results in a first result and includes utilizing a two cycle adder.

Abstract: A system for performing decimal multiplication including input registers for inputting a multiplier and a multiplicand. The multiplier includes one or more digits. The system also includes one or more two cycle adders and mechanism. The mechanism receives the multiplier and the multiplicand into the input registers. A running sum is reset to zero. The mechanism also performs for each of the digits in the multiplier in order from least significant digit to most significant digit: creating a partial product of the digit and the multiplicand; and adding the partial product to the running sum using the two cycle adders. When the loop is completed for each of the digits in the multiplier, the mechanism outputs the running sum as the result.

Abstract: A method for performing decimal division including receiving a scaled divisor and dividend and storing a subset of the multiples of the scaled divisor. An accumulated quotient is initialized to be equal to zero, a first current remainder is initialized to be equal to the scaled dividend, and a second current remainder is initialized to be equal to the scaled dividend minus the scaled divisor. The following loop is performed until a selected number of quotient digits are produced. An estimated next quotient digit is calculated based on the first digit of the first current remainder. A temp remainder is selected to be either the first current remainder or the second current remainder based on the estimated next quotient digit. A first next remainder is calculated by subtracting one of the stored multiples from the temp remainder, where the stored multiple is selected based on a first digit of the first current remainder.

Abstract: A system for performing decimal floating point addition. The system includes input registers for inputting a first and second operand for an addition operation. The system also includes a plurality of adder blocks, each calculating a sum of one or more corresponding digits from the first operand and the second operand. Output from each of the adder blocks includes the sum of the corresponding digits and a carry out indicator for the corresponding digits. The calculating is performed during a first clock cycle. The system also includes an intermediate result register for storing the sums of the corresponding digits output from each of the plurality of adder blocks, the storing during the first clock cycle. The system further includes a carry chain for storing the carry out indicator output from each of the plurality of adder blocks, the storing occurring during the first clock cycle.

Abstract: A method for allowing a partial instruction to be executed in a fixed point unit pipeline during the instruction dispatch cycle creates a mask used to select which bits of the operands participate in a future logical operation of the fixed point unit back a cycle to the instruction dispatch stage of the fixed point unit. As an S/390 System improvement applicable to other computers, the mask is determined and created two cycles ahead of execution, or two cycles before the mask is actually used. Also, in the method used for moving the mask generation back by one cycle, mask generation overlaps the dispatch stage in the I-unit, and this provides a handshake between the I-unit and E-unit of the fixed point unit of the central processor unit of the computer system. The control setting selection process occurs in a predetermination cycle stage or e-1 (em1) stage for the mask generation and the register file read address.