Abstract: The present invention concerns configuration of a new category of integrated circuitry for adaptive computing. The various embodiments provide an executable information module for an adaptive computing engine (ACE) integrated circuit and may include configuration information, operand data, and may also include routing and power control information. The ACE IC comprises a plurality of heterogeneous computational elements coupled to an interconnection network. The plurality of heterogeneous computational elements include corresponding computational elements having fixed and differing architectures, such as fixed architectures for different functions such as memory, addition, multiplication, complex multiplication, subtraction, configuration, reconfiguration, control, input, output, and field programmability. In response to configuration information, the interconnection network is operative to configure the plurality of heterogeneous computational elements for a plurality of different functional modes.

Abstract: A processor 2 supporting register renaming has a rename table 20 in which the flag register has multiple tag values associated therewith. These tag values indicate which virtual register corresponds to a destination flag register of the oldest instruction which wrote a still up-to-date value of a subset of the flags.

Abstract: The present invention provides a network multithreaded processor, such as a network processor, including a thread interleaver that implements fine-grained thread decisions to avoid underutilization of instruction execution resources in spite of large communication latencies. In an upper pipeline, an instruction unit determines an-instruction fetch sequence responsive to an instruction queue depth on a per thread basis. In a lower pipeline, a thread interleaver determines a thread interleave sequence responsive to thread conditions including thread latency conditions. The thread interleaver selects threads using a two-level round robin arbitration. Thread latency signals are active responsive to thread latencies such as thread stalls, cache misses, and interlocks. During the subsequent one or more clock cycles, the thread is ineligible for arbitration. In one embodiment, other thread conditions affect selection decisions such as local priority, global stalls, and late stalls.

Abstract: A processing bypass directory system and method are disclosed. In one embodiment, a bypass directory tracking process includes setting bits in a bypass directory when a corresponding architectural register is written. The bits are selectively cleared in the bypass directory each cycle. The configuration of the bits is utilized to determine which stage of a bypass path processing information is at.

Abstract: A processor of SIMD/MIMD dual mode architecture comprises common controlled first processing elements, self-controlled second processing elements and a pipelined (ring) network connecting the first PEs and the second PEs sequentially. An access controller has access control lines, each access control line being connected to each PE of the first and second PEs to control data access timing between each PE and the network. Each PE can be self-controlled or common controlled, such as dual mode SIMD/MIMD architectures, reducing the wiring area requirement.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting lock instructions and lock release instruction, as well as predicting critical sections is herein described. A lock instruction is detected with detection logic, which potentially resides in decode logic. A lock instruction entry associated with the lock instruction is stored/created. Address locations and values to be written to those address location of subsequent potential lock release instruction are compared to the address loaded from by the lock instruction and the value load by the lock instruction. If the addresses and values match, it is determined that the lock release instruction matches the lock instruction. A prediction entry stores a reference to the lock instruction, such as a last instruction pointer (LIP), and an associated value to represent the lock instruction is to be elided upon subsequent detection, if it is determined that the lock release instruction matches the lock instruction.

Abstract: Multipurpose arithmetic functional units can perform planar attribute interpolation and unary function approximation operations. In one embodiment, planar interpolation operations for coordinates (x, y) are executed by computing A*x+B*y+C, and unary function approximation operations for operand x are executed by computing F2(xb)*xh2+F1(xb)*xh+F0(xb), where xh=x?xb. Shared multiplier and adder circuits are advantageously used to implement the product and sum operations for both classes of operations.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are generally related to image processing, and more specifically to vector units for supporting image processing. A combined vector/scalar unit is provided wherein one or more processing lanes of the vector unit are used for performing scalar operations. An integrated register file is also provided for storing vector and scalar data. Therefore, the transfer of data to memory to exchange data between independent vector and scalar units is obviated and a significant amount of chip area is saved.

Abstract: A signal processing apparatus for processing a periodic signal outputted from a signal source has a central processing unit and a task switch timer. The central processing unit performs multiple tasks including a signal processing task in parallel. In the signal processing task, the central processing unit starts to process the periodic signal after performing a synchronization processing to synchronize with the periodic signal, setting the task switch timer to a predetermined time upon completion of the synchronization processing, and enabling an interrupt to the central processing unit upon completion of the synchronization processing. The task switch timer disables the interrupt to the central processing unit immediately before expiring. The task switch timer outputs a task switch signal to the central processing unit when expiring, so that the central processing unit switches to the signal processing task.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a serial processor is configured to execute software instructions in a software program in serial. A serial memory is configured to store data for use by the serial processor in executing the software instructions in serial. A plurality of parallel processors are configured to execute software instructions in the software program in parallel. A plurality of partitioned memory modules are provided and configured to store data for use by the plurality of parallel processors in executing software instructions in parallel. Accordingly, a processor/memory structure is provided that allows serial programs to use quick local serial memories and parallel programs to use partitioned parallel memories. The system may switch between a serial mode and a parallel mode. The system may incorporate pre-fetching commands of several varieties.

Abstract: One aspect relates to a computer system including a first data processing unit, a second data processing unit and a data transmission/memory device. The data transmission/memory can transmit sets of data from the first data processing unit to the second data processing unit. The data transmission/memory device includes a first memory region and a second memory region.

Abstract: A microprocessor includes a memory that stores instructions of a non-user program to implement a user program instruction of the user-visible instruction set of the microprocessor. The non-user program includes a conditional branch instruction. A first fetch unit fetches instructions of the user program that includes the instruction that is implemented by the non-user program. An instruction decoder decodes the user program instructions and saves a state in response to decoding the user program instruction that is implemented by the non-user program. An execution unit executes the user program instructions fetched by the first fetch unit and executes instructions of the non-user program other than the conditional branch instruction. A second fetch unit fetches the non-user program instructions from the memory and resolves the conditional branch instruction based on the saved state without sending the conditional branch instruction to the execution unit to resolve the conditional branch instruction.

Abstract: A data processing device comprising a multidimensional array of coarse grained logic elements processing data and operating at a first clock rate and communicating with one another and/or other elements via busses and/or communication lines operated at a second clock rate is disclosed, wherein the first clock rate is higher than the second and wherein the coarse grained logic elements comprise storage means for storing data needed to be processed.

Abstract: A data processing circuit has an execution circuit (18) with a plurality of functional units (20). An instruction decoder (17) is operable in a first and a second instruction mode. In the first instruction mode instructions have respective fields for controlling each of the functional units (20), and in the second instruction mode instructions control one functional unit. A mode control circuit (12) controls the selection of the instruction modes. In an embodiment, the instruction decoder uses time-stationary decoding of the selection of operations to be executed by the execution circuit (18) and the selection of destination registers from the set of registers (19). Mode switching is a more efficient way of reducing instruction time for time stationary processors than indicating functional units for which the instruction contains commands.

Abstract: There is provided a reconfigurable device that includes a plurality of processing blocks (13), wherein operation logic of each processing block is changeable, and a routing matrix (15) for configuring paths that connect the plurality of the processing blocks. Each processing block (13) includes a logic operation unit (21) whose logic is determined by configuration data (17) and a storage unit (40) for storing processing results of the logic operation unit. Each storage unit (40) includes a plurality of storage elements (31r), input means (32) for selecting one of the plurality of storage elements (31r) based on the configuration data (17) to store the output of the logic operation unit (21), and output means (33) for connecting the plurality of storage elements (31r) to the routing matrix (15).

Abstract: A microprocessor includes a control register that stores a control value that affects operation of the microprocessor. An instruction set architecture includes a conditional branch instruction that specifies a branch condition based on the control value stored in the control register, and a serializing instruction that updates the control value in the control register. The microprocessor completes all modifications to flags, registers, and memory by instructions previous to the serializing instruction and to drain all buffered writes to memory before it fetches and executes the next instruction after the serializing instruction. Execution units update the control value in the control register in response to the serializing instruction. A fetch unit fetches, decodes, and unconditionally correctly resolves and retires the conditional branch instruction based on the control value stored in the control register rather than dispatching the conditional branch instruction to the execution units to be resolved.

Abstract: The present invention provides an architecture code 20 including object circuit information 23 for mapping an object circuit that is at least part of a circuit for executing an application onto part of a logic circuit where circuits can be dynamically reconfigured, interface circuit information 24 for mapping an interface circuit in contact with the object circuit onto the logic circuit, and boundary condition 26 to be realized in the interface circuit. A data processing system in the present invention includes a load unit obtaining an architecture code 20, a mapping unit for mapping the object circuit and the interface circuit in contact with the object circuit onto the logic circuit region according to the object circuit information 23 and the interface circuit information 24 of the architecture code, and a behavior control unit for controlling the interface circuit according to the boundary condition 26 of the architecture code.

Abstract: A processor includes a compute array comprising a first plurality of compute engines serially connected along a data flow path such that data flows between successive compute engines at successive times. The first plurality of compute engines includes an initial compute engine and a final compute engine. The data flow path includes a recirculation path connecting the final compute engine to the initial compute engine with no compute engine therebetween.

Abstract: A data processing circuit comprises a register file (14) having read ports and write ports. A plurality of functional units (21a-c), is coupled to receive operand data from a same combination of read ports. Each functional unit is coupled to a respective one of the write ports for writing a respective result. An instruction issue slot has outputs (11) for supplying register selection information to said combination read ports and to the respective ones of the write ports. The output of the issue slot also supplies an operation code. The functional units (21a-c) in the plurality are arranged to respond to at least to one value of the operation code by each executing a respective operation using the same operands from said same combination and each functional unit producing a respective result at a respective ones of the write ports.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus performs switching between an exception handler and normal processing. The information processing apparatus includes a processor; a data processing unit that performs particular processing upon receiving a processing request from the processor; an interrupt controller that issues an interrupt request to the processor; and an exception control unit that controls the interrupt controller, wherein the data processing unit is connected with the exception control unit via a dedicated line. The data processing unit includes a notification unit that notifies, via the dedicated line, the exception control unit of status information indicating current status of the data processing unit, and based on the notified status information and setup information set by the processor, the exception control unit judges whether to cause the interrupt controller to issue an interrupt request to execute an exception handler to the processor.