Abstract: Apparatus and method embodiments for dynamically allocating cache space in a multi-threaded execution environment are disclosed. In some embodiments, a processor includes a cache shared by each of a plurality of processor cores and/or each of a plurality of threads executing on the processor. The processor further includes a cache allocation circuit configured to dynamically allocate space in the cache provided to each of the plurality of processor cores based on their respective usage patterns. The cache allocation unit may track cache usage by each of the processor cores/threads using subsets of usage bits and counters configured to update states of the usage bits. The cache allocation circuit may track the usage of cache space by the processor cores/threads and may allocate more space to those that exhibit more usage of the cache.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for reducing dynamic power consumption in a multi-thread content-addressable memory is described. The apparatus includes a first input configured to receive a first virtual address corresponding to a first thread, a second input configured to receive a second virtual address corresponding to a second thread, a register bank including a plurality of registers each configured to store a binary word mapped to one of a plurality of physical addresses, a first comparator bank including a first plurality of comparators each coupled to an associated register of the plurality of registers in a fully-associative configuration, and a second comparator bank including a second plurality of comparators each coupled to an associated register of the plurality of registers in a fully-associative configuration. An input virtual address to each comparator bank maintains its previous value for when a corresponding thread is not selected.

Abstract: One or more components of a video display device such as a television set can be powered down in response to a determination that a video input source has been paused. The video signal provided by the video input source can be analyzed to determine whether the video source is paused. When the video input source is no longer paused, the powered down components can be restored to fill power operation.

Abstract: Techniques to maintain gain flatness in the frequency response of a passband signal over a circuit chain. The techniques may be employed in the receive chain of a millimeter wave band wireless receiver, in the transmit chain of a millimeter wave band wireless transmitter, or in both the receive chain and the transmit chain of a millimeter wave band wireless transceiver. The techniques include mismatching the input and output impedance of a passive low pass filter used in the chain to peak the gain of the passband signal at or near the cutoff frequency (Fc) of the filter.

Abstract: Legacy bus operations, such as x86 I/O instructions having an address space separate from memory address space, are supported in a system in which I/O devices are coupled to a microcontroller connected via an SPI bus or other bit-serial bus. Each legacy bus operation is recognized and trapped by an interface controller, such as a south-bridge controller, which maps the trapped legacy bus operation into a corresponding bit-serial bus transaction, and transacts this corresponding bit-serial bus transaction on the bit-serial bus. Existing software infrastructure using x86 I/O instructions can remain intact, with I/O transactions bound for the SPI bus.

Abstract: Described is a system and method for using virtual vector register files. In particular, a graphics processor includes a logic unit, a virtual vector register file coupled to the logic unit, a vector register backing store coupled to the virtual vector register file, and a virtual vector register file controller coupled to the virtual vector register file. The virtual vector register file includes a N deep vector register file and a M deep vector register file, where N is less than M. The virtual vector register file controller performing eviction and allocation between the N deep vector register file, the M deep vector register file and the vector register backing store dependent on at least access requests for certain vector registers.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for reducing TLB shootdown operation overheads in accelerator-based computing systems is described. The disclosed method and apparatus may also be used in the areas of near-memory and in-memory computing, where near-memory or in-memory compute units may need to share a host CPU's virtual address space. Metadata is associated with page table entries (PTEs) and mechanisms use the metadata to limit the number of processing elements that participate in a TLB shootdown operation.

Abstract: A cooling system is provided for a 3D integrated circuit (IC) to deliver fluid in x, y, and z dimensions to interior regions of the IC as a means to regulate heat. An IC includes a microfluidic network of channels, at least one sensor and at least one microelectromechanical system (MEMS)-based device that is disposed within the network of channels and that is configured to regulate a flow of fluid within the network of channels. Each sensor monitors a state of the IC. Each MEMS-based device receives control signals based on a state of the IC and regulates a flow of fluid within the network of channels based on control signals that area received on a real-time basis based on changes detected in a state of the IC.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for scheduling instructions of a shader program for a graphics processing unit (GPU) with a fixed number of registers. The method and apparatus include computing, via a processing unit (PU), a liveness-based register usage across all basic blocks in the shader program, computing, via the PU, the range of numbers of waves of a plurality of registers for the shader program, assessing the impact of available post-register allocation optimizations, computing, via the PU, the scoring data based on number of waves of the plurality of registers, and computing, via the PU, the number of waves for execution for the plurality of registers.

Abstract: Described is a method and processing apparatus to improve power efficiency by gating redundant threads processing. In particular, the method for gating redundant threads in a graphics processor includes determining if data for a thread and data for at least another thread are within a predetermined similarity threshold, gating execution of the at least another thread if the data for the thread and the data for the at least another thread are within the predetermined similarity threshold, and using an output data from the thread as an output data for the at least another thread.

Abstract: A system and method for protecting memory instructions against faults are described. The system and method include converting the slave instructions to dummy operations, modifying memory arbiter to issue up to N master and N slave global/shared memory instructions per cycle, sending master memory requests to memory system, using slave requests for error checking, entering master requests to the GM/LM FIFO, storing slave requests in a register, and comparing the entered master requests with the stored slave requests.

Abstract: A method and processing apparatus for accelerating program processing is provided that includes a plurality of processors configured to process a plurality of tasks of a program and a controller. The controller is configured to determine, from the plurality of tasks being processed by the plurality of processors, a task being processed on a first processor to be a lagging task causing a delay in execution of one or more other tasks of the plurality of tasks. The controller is further configured to provide the determined lagging task to a second processor to be executed by the second processor to accelerate execution of the lagging task.

Abstract: Methods and systems of reducing power transmitted over a memory to cache bus having a plurality of cache lines by identifying floating point numbers transmitted over a cache line, rounding bits in least significant bit (LSB) positions of identified floating point (FP) numbers to a uniform binary value string, mapping the rounded bits from the LSB positions to most significant bit (MSB) positions of each FP number to increase a chance of matching bit patterns between pairs of the FP numbers, and compressing the floating point numbers by replacing matched bit patterns with smaller data elements using a defined data compression process. A decompressor decompresses the compressed FP numbers using a defined decompression process corresponding to the defined compression process; and the mapping component applies a reverse mapping function to map the rounded bits back to original LSB positions from the MSB positions to recover the original floating point numbers.

Abstract: In one form, an apparatus comprises a delay circuit and a controller. The delay circuit delays a plurality of command and address signals according to a first delay signal and provides a delayed command and address signal to memory interface. The controller performs command and address training in which the controller provides an activation signal and a predetermined address signal with first timing according to the first delay signal, and the plurality of command and address signals besides the predetermined address signal with second timing according to the first delay signal, wherein the second timing is relaxed with respect to the first timing. The controller determines an eye of timing for the predetermined address signal by repetitively providing a predetermined command on the command and address signals, varying the first delay signal, and measuring a data signal received from the memory interface.

Abstract: Power gating decisions can be made based on measures of cache dirtiness. Analyzer logic can selectively power gate a component of a processor system based on a cache dirtiness of one or more caches associated with the component. The analyzer logic may power gate the component when the cache dirtiness exceeds a threshold and may maintains the component in an idle state when the cache dirtiness does not exceed the threshold. Idle time prediction logic may be used to predict a duration of an idle time of the component. The analyzer logic may then selectively power gates the component based on the cache dirtiness and the predicted idle time.

Abstract: A method and a non-transitory computer readable medium for decompressing an image including one or more regions are presented. A region of the image is selected to be decoded. The region and metadata associated with the region are decoded, the metadata including transformation and quantization settings used to compress the region. A reconstruction transformation is applied to the region using the transformation and quantization settings.

Abstract: Various computing devices, thermal solutions and enclosures are disclosed. In one aspect, a computing device enclosure is provided that includes a first compartment that has a first upper side and is adapted to house the computing device and a liquid cooling device. The computing device has at least one heat generating component operable to transfer heat to the liquid cooling device. A second compartment has a lower side that includes an air inlet and a second upper side that has an air outlet. The second compartment is adapted to house a head exchanger to remove hear transferred to the liquid cooling device. A hub connects the first second compartment to the first compartment in spaced apart relation so as to leave a gap between the first upper side and the lower side.

Abstract: In one form, a memory controller includes a controller and a memory operation array. The controller has an input for receiving a power state change request signal and an output for providing memory operations. The memory operation array comprises a plurality of entries, each entry comprising a plurality of encoded fields. The controller is responsive to an activation of the power state change request signal to access the memory operation array to fetch at least one entry, and to issue at least one memory operation indicated by the entry. In another form, a system comprises a memory system and a processor coupled to the memory system. The processor is adapted to access the memory module using such a memory controller.

Abstract: Integrated circuit layouts are disclosed that include metal layers with metal tracks having separate metal sections along the metal tracks. The separate metal sections along a single track may be electrically isolated from each other. The separate metal sections may then be electrically connected to different voltage tracks in metal layers above and/or below the metal layer with the separate metal sections. One or more of the metal layers in the integrated circuit layouts may also include metal tracks at different voltages (e.g., power and ground) that are adjacent to each other within a power grid layout. The metal tracks may be separated by electrically insulating material. The metal tracks and the electrically insulating material between the tracks may create capacitance in the power grid layout.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to utilize a fetching scheme for instructions in a processor to limit the expenditure of power caused by the speculative execution of branch instructions is provided. Also provided is a computer readable storage device encoded with data for adapting a manufacturing facility to create an apparatus. The method includes calculating a cumulative confidence measure based on one or more outstanding conditional branch instructions. The method also includes reducing prefetching operations in response to detecting that the cumulative confidence measure is below a first threshold level.