Abstract: The present invention is directed generally to systems and methods which provide a memory module having multiple data channels that are independently accessible (i.e., a multi-data channel memory module). According to one embodiment, the multi-data channel memory module enables a plurality of independent sub-cache-block accesses to be serviced simultaneously. In addition, the memory architecture also supports cache-block accesses. For instance, multiple ones of the data channels may be employed for servicing a cache-block access. In one embodiment a DIMM architecture that comprises multiple data channels is provided. Each data channel supports a sub-cache-block access, and multiple ones of the data channels may be used for supporting a cache-block access. The plurality of data channels to a given DIMM may be used simultaneously to support different, independent memory access operations.

Abstract: Systems and systems which implement workflows for providing reconfigurable processor core algorithms operable with associated capabilities using description files, thereby facilitating the development and generation of instruction sets for use with reconfigurable processors, are shown. Embodiments implement a multistage workflow in which program code is parsed into custom instructions and corresponding capability descriptions for generating reconfigurable processor loadable instruction sets. The multistage workflow of embodiments includes a hybrid threading complier operable to compile input program code into custom instructions using a hardware timing agnostic approach. A timing manager of the multistage workflow of embodiments utilizes capabilities information provided in association with the custom instructions generated by the hybrid threading complier to impose hardware timing on the custom instructions.

Abstract: Systems and methods which provide a modular processor framework and instruction set architecture designed to efficiently execute applications whose memory access patterns are irregular or non-unit stride as disclosed. A hybrid multithreading framework (HMTF) of embodiments provides a framework for constructing tightly coupled, chip-multithreading (CMT) processors that contain specific features well-suited to hiding latency to main memory and executing highly concurrent applications. The HMTF of embodiments includes an instruction set designed specifically to exploit the high degree of parallelism and concurrency control mechanisms present in the HMTF hardware modules. The instruction format implemented by a HMTF of embodiments is designed to give the architecture, the runtime libraries, and/or the application ultimate control over how and when concurrency between thread cache units is initiated.

Abstract: A software compiler is provided that is operable for generating an executable that comprises instructions for a plurality of different instruction sets as may be employed by different processors in a multi-processor system. The compiler may generate an executable that includes a first portion of instructions to be processed by a first instruction set (such as a first instruction set of a first processor in a multi-processor system) and a second portion of instructions to be processed by a second instruction set (such as a second instruction set of a second processor in a multi-processor system). Such executable may be generated for execution on a multi-processor system that comprises at least one host processor, which may comprise a fixed instruction set, such as the well-known x86 instruction set, and at least one co-processor, which comprises dynamically reconfigurable logic that enables the co-processor's instruction set to be dynamically reconfigured.

Abstract: A memory interleave system for providing memory interleave for a heterogeneous computing system is provided. The memory interleave system effectively interleaves memory that is accessed by heterogeneous compute elements in different ways, such as via cache-block accesses by certain compute elements and via non-cache-block accesses by certain other compute elements. The heterogeneous computing system may comprise one or more cache-block oriented compute elements and one or more non-cache-block oriented compute elements that share access to a common main memory. The cache-block oriented compute elements access the memory via cache-block accesses (e.g., 64 bytes, per access), while the non-cache-block oriented compute elements access memory via sub-cache-block accesses (e.g., 8 bytes, per access).

Abstract: The present invention is directed to systems and methods for mapping a neighborhood of data to general registers of a processing element. Embodiments of the present invention provide techniques for mapping a neighborhood of data to general registers that are “neighborhood constrained” because the general register set is of insufficient size in one or more dimensions to fully store a desired neighborhood of data in a manner that maintains the positional arrangement of such data. However, a window access method is employed for mapping the neighborhood of data to the general register set, thereby enabling the neighborhood of data to be stored to the general register set in a manner that maintains the positional arrangement of such data as may be desired for performing nearest-neighbor types of operations by the processing element.

Abstract: A co-processor is provided that comprises one or more application engines that can be dynamically configured to a desired personality. For instance, the application engines may be dynamically configured to any of a plurality of different vector processing instruction sets, such as a single-precision vector processing instruction set and a double-precision vector processing instruction set. The co-processor further comprises a common infrastructure that is common across all of the different personalities, such as an instruction decode infrastructure, memory management infrastructure, system interface infrastructure, and/or scalar processing unit (that has a base set of instructions). Thus, the personality of the co-processor can be dynamically modified (by reconfiguring one or more application engines of the co-processor), while the common infrastructure of the co-processor remains consistent across the various personalities.

Abstract: A multi-processor system comprises at least one host processor, which may comprise a fixed instruction set, such as the well-known x86 instruction set. The system further comprises at least one co-processor, which comprises dynamically reconfigurable logic that enables the co-processor's instruction set to be dynamically reconfigured. In this manner, the at least one host processor and the at least one dynamically reconfigurable co-processor are heterogeneous processors having different instruction sets. Further, cache coherency is maintained between the heterogeneous host and co-processors. And, a single executable file may contain instructions that are processed by the multi-processor system, wherein a portion of the instructions are processed by the host processor and a portion of the instructions are processed by the co-processor.

Abstract: A memory interleave system for providing memory interleave for a heterogeneous computing system is provided. The memory interleave system effectively interleaves memory that is accessed by heterogeneous compute elements in different ways, such as via cache-block accesses by certain compute elements and via non-cache-block accesses by certain other compute elements. The heterogeneous computing system may comprise one or more cache-block oriented compute elements and one or more non-cache-block oriented compute elements that share access to a common main memory. The cache-block oriented compute elements access the memory via cache-block accesses (e.g., 64 bytes, per access), while the non-cache-block oriented compute elements access memory via sub-cache-block accesses (e.g., 8 bytes, per access).

Abstract: A dispatch mechanism is provided for dispatching instructions of an executable from a host processor to a heterogeneous co-processor. According to certain embodiments, cache coherency is maintained between the host processor and the heterogeneous co-processor, and such cache coherency is leveraged for dispatching instructions of an executable that are to be processed by the co-processor. For instance, in certain embodiments, a designated portion of memory (e.g., “UCB”) is utilized, wherein a host processor may place information in such UCB and the co-processor can retrieve information from the UCB (and vice-versa). The UCB may thus be used to dispatch instructions of an executable for processing by the co-processor. In certain embodiments, the co-processor may comprise dynamically reconfigurable logic which enables the co-processor's instruction set to be dynamically changed, and the dispatching operation may identify one of a plurality of predefined instruction sets to be loaded onto the co-processor.

Abstract: A memory interleave system for providing memory interleave for a heterogeneous computing system is provided. The memory interleave system effectively interleaves memory that is accessed by heterogeneous compute elements in different ways, such as via cache-block accesses by certain compute elements and via non-cache-block accesses by certain other compute elements. The heterogeneous computing system may comprise one or more cache-block oriented compute elements and one or more non-cache-block oriented compute elements that share access to a common main memory. The cache-block oriented compute elements access the memory via cache-block accesses (e.g., 64 bytes, per access), while the non-cache-block oriented compute elements access memory via sub-cache-block accesses (e.g., 8 bytes, per access).

Abstract: A co-processor is provided that comprises one or more application engines that can be dynamically configured to a desired personality. For instance, the application engines may be dynamically configured to any of a plurality of different vector processing instruction sets, such as a single-precision vector processing instruction set and a double-precision vector processing instruction set. The co-processor further comprises a common infrastructure that is common across all of the different personalities, such as an instruction decode infrastructure, memory management infrastructure, system interface infrastructure, and/or scalar processing unit (that has a base set of instructions). Thus, the personality of the co-processor can be dynamically modified (by reconfiguring one or more application engines of the co-processor), while the common infrastructure of the co-processor remains consistent across the various personalities.

Abstract: The present invention is directed generally to dynamically-selectable vector register partitioning, and more specifically to a processor infrastructure (e.g., co-processor infrastructure in a multi-processor system) that supports dynamic setting of vector register partitioning to any of a plurality of different vector partitioning modes. Thus, rather than being restricted to a fixed vector register partitioning mode, embodiments of the present invention enable a processor to be dynamically set to any of a plurality of different vector partitioning modes. Thus, for instance, different vector register partitioning modes may be employed for different applications being executed by the processor, and/or different vector register partitioning modes may even be employed for use in processing different vector oriented operations within a given applications being executed by the processor, in accordance with certain embodiments of the present invention.

Abstract: The present invention is directed generally to systems and methods which provide a memory module having multiple data channels that are independently accessible (i.e., a multi-data channel memory module). According to one embodiment, the multi-data channel memory module enables a plurality of independent sub-cache-block accesses to be serviced simultaneously. In addition, the memory architecture also supports cache-block accesses. For instance, multiple ones of the data channels may be employed for servicing a cache-block access. In one embodiment a DIMM architecture that comprises multiple data channels is provided. Each data channel supports a sub-cache-block access, and multiple ones of the data channels may be used for supporting a cache-block access. The plurality of data channels to a given DIMM may be used simultaneously to support different, independent memory access operations.

Abstract: A memory interleave system for providing memory interleave for a heterogeneous computing system is provided. The memory interleave system effectively interleaves memory that is accessed by heterogeneous compute elements in different ways, such as via cache-block accesses by certain compute elements and via non-cache-block accesses by certain other compute elements. The heterogeneous computing system may comprise one or more cache-block oriented compute elements and one or more non-cache-block oriented compute elements that share access to a common main memory. The cache-block oriented compute elements access the memory via cache-block accesses (e.g., 64 bytes, per access), while the non-cache-block oriented compute elements access memory via sub-cache-block accesses (e.g., 8 bytes, per access).

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a system and method which employ two memory access paths: 1) a cache-access path in which block data is fetched from main memory for loading to a cache, and 2) a direct-access path in which individually-addressed data is fetched from main memory. The system may comprise one or more processor cores that utilize the cache-access path for accessing data. The system may further comprise at least one heterogeneous functional unit that is operable to utilize the direct-access path for accessing data. In certain embodiments, the one or more processor cores, cache, and the at least one heterogeneous functional unit may be included on a common semiconductor die (e.g., as part of an integrated circuit). Embodiments of the present invention enable improved system performance by selectively employing the cache-access path for certain instructions while selectively employing the direct-access path for other instructions.

Abstract: A dispatch mechanism is provided for dispatching instructions of an executable from a host processor to a heterogeneous co-processor. According to certain embodiments, cache coherency is maintained between the host processor and the heterogeneous co-processor, and such cache coherency is leveraged for dispatching instructions of an executable that are to be processed by the co-processor. For instance, in certain embodiments, a designated portion of memory (e.g., “UCB”) is utilized, wherein a host processor may place information in such UCB and the co-processor can retrieve information from the UCB (and vice-versa). The UCB may thus be used to dispatch instructions of an executable for processing by the co-processor. In certain embodiments, the co-processor may comprise dynamically reconfigurable logic which enables the co-processor's instruction set to be dynamically changed, and the dispatching operation may identify one of a plurality of predefined instruction sets to be loaded onto the co-processor.

Abstract: A software compiler is provided that is operable for generating an executable that comprises instructions for a plurality of different instruction sets as may be employed by different processors in a multi-processor system. The compiler may generate an executable that includes a first portion of instructions to be processed by a first instruction set (such as a first instruction set of a first processor in a multi-processor system) and a second portion of instructions to be processed by a second instruction set (such as a second instruction set of a second processor in a multi-processor system). Such executable may be generated for execution on a multi-processor system that comprises at least one host processor, which may comprise a fixed instruction set, such as the well-known x86 instruction set, and at least one co-processor, which comprises dynamically reconfigurable logic that enables the co-processor's instruction set to be dynamically reconfigured.

Abstract: A multi-processor system comprises at least one host processor, which may comprise a fixed instruction set, such as the well-known x86 instruction set. The system further comprises at least one co-processor, which comprises dynamically reconfigurable logic that enables the co-processor's instruction set to be dynamically reconfigured. In this manner, the at least one host processor and the at least one dynamically reconfigurable co-processor are heterogeneous processors having different instruction sets. Further, cache coherency is maintained between the heterogeneous host and co-processors. And, a single executable file may contain instructions that are processed by the multi-processor system, wherein a portion of the instructions are processed by the host processor and a portion of the instructions are processed by the co-processor.