Patents by Inventor Brad L. Herold

Brad L. Herold has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11036507
    Abstract: A process for processor testing includes dividing a memory space into first and second portions and generating first and second sets of test instructions for the respective first and second portion. The first and second sets each include a plurality of counter increment/branch instruction pairs where each branch instruction of the first set branches to a backward instruction location and each branch instruction of the second set branches to a forward instruction location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Abhishek Bansal, Nitin P. Gupta, Brad L. Herold, Jayakumar N. Sankarannair
  • Publication number: 20200167159
    Abstract: A process for processor testing includes dividing a memory space into first and second portions and generating first and second sets of test instructions for the respective first and second portion. The first and second sets each include a plurality of counter increment/branch instruction pairs where each branch instruction of the first set branches to a backward instruction location and each branch instruction of the second set branches to a forward instruction location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2020
    Publication date: May 28, 2020
    Inventors: Abhishek Bansal, Nitin P. Gupta, Brad L. Herold, Jayakumar N. Sankarannair
  • Patent number: 10585668
    Abstract: A process for processor testing includes generating a set of test instructions having a first portion and a second portion. A first branch instruction is randomly generated for the first portion where the first branch instruction branches to a respective instruction in a second portion by a branching location offset. A second branch instruction is randomly generated for the second portion where the second branch instruction branches to a respective instruction in the first portion by the branching location offset. If additional instructions are to be added to the set of test instructions, a value of the branching location offset is incrementing by a predetermined amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Abhishek Bansal, Nitin P. Gupta, Brad L. Herold, Jayakumar N. Sankarannair
  • Publication number: 20180024833
    Abstract: A process for processor testing includes generating a set of test instructions having a first portion and a second portion. A first branch instruction is randomly generated for the first portion where the first branch instruction branches to a respective instruction in a second portion by a branching location offset. A second branch instruction is randomly generated for the second portion where the second branch instruction branches to a respective instruction in the first portion by the branching location offset. If additional instructions are to be added to the set of test instructions, a value of the branching location offset is incrementing by a predetermined amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2017
    Publication date: January 25, 2018
    Inventors: Abhishek Bansal, Nitin P. Gupta, Brad L. Herold, Jayakumar N. Sankarannair
  • Patent number: 9785439
    Abstract: Processors may be tested according to various implementations. In one general implementation, a process for processor testing may include randomly generating a first plurality of branch instructions for a first portion of an instruction set, each branch instruction in the first portion branching to a respective instruction in a second portion of the instruction set. The process may also include randomly generating a second plurality of branch instructions for the second portion of the instruction set, each branch instruction in the second portion branching to a respective instruction in the first portion of the instruction set. The process may additionally include generating a plurality of instructions to increment a counter when each branch instruction is encountered during execution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Abhishek Bansal, Nitin P. Gupta, Brad L. Herold, Jayakumar N. Sankarannair
  • Publication number: 20150026445
    Abstract: Processors may be tested according to various implementations. In one general implementation, a process for processor testing may include randomly generating a first plurality of branch instructions for a first portion of an instruction set, each branch instruction in the first portion branching to a respective instruction in a second portion of the instruction set. The process may also include randomly generating a second plurality of branch instructions for the second portion of the instruction set, each branch instruction in the second portion branching to a respective instruction in the first portion of the instruction set. The process may additionally include generating a plurality of instructions to increment a counter when each branch instruction is encountered during execution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2014
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Inventors: Abhishek Bansal, Nitin P. Gupta, Brad L. Herold, Jayakumar N. Sankarannair
  • Patent number: 8914622
    Abstract: Processors may be tested according to various implementations. In one general implementation, a process for processor testing may include randomly generating a first plurality of branch instructions for a first portion of an instruction set, each branch instruction in the first portion branching to a respective instruction in a second portion of the instruction set, the branching of the branch instructions to the respective instructions being arranged in a sequential manner. The process may also include randomly generating a second plurality of branch instructions for the second portion of the instruction set, each branch instruction in the second portion branching to a respective instruction in the first portion of the instruction set, the branching of the branch instructions to the respective instructions being arranged in a sequential manner. The process may additionally include generating a plurality of instructions to increment a counter when each branch instruction is encountered during execution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Abhishek Bansal, Nitin P. Gupta, Brad L. Herold, Jayakumar N. Sankarannair
  • Patent number: 8812826
    Abstract: In one implementation, processor testing may include the ability to randomly generate a first plurality of branch instructions for a first portion of an instruction set, each branch instruction in the first portion branching to a respective instruction in a second portion of the instruction set, the branching of the branch instructions to the respective instructions being arranged in a sequential manner. Processor testing may also include the ability to randomly generate a second plurality of branch instructions for the second portion of the instruction set, each branch instruction in the second portion branching to a respective instruction in the first portion of the instruction set, the branching of the branch instructions to the respective instructions being arranged in a sequential manner. Processor testing may additionally include the ability to generate a plurality of instructions to increment a counter when each branch instruction is encountered during execution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Abhishek Bansal, Nitin Gupta, Brad L. Herold, Jayakumar N Sankarannair
  • Publication number: 20120216023
    Abstract: Processors may be tested according to various implementations. In one general implementation, a process for processor testing may include randomly generating a first plurality of branch instructions for a first portion of an instruction set, each branch instruction in the first portion branching to a respective instruction in a second portion of the instruction set, the branching of the branch instructions to the respective instructions being arranged in a sequential manner. The process may also include randomly generating a second plurality of branch instructions for the second portion of the instruction set, each branch instruction in the second portion branching to a respective instruction in the first portion of the instruction set, the branching of the branch instructions to the respective instructions being arranged in a sequential manner. The process may additionally include generating a plurality of instructions to increment a counter when each branch instruction is encountered during execution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2012
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Abhishek Bansal, Nitin P. Gupta, Brad L. Herold, Jayakumar N. Sankarannair
  • Publication number: 20120102302
    Abstract: Processors may be tested according to various implementations. In one general implementation, a process for processor testing may include randomly generating a first plurality of branch instructions for a first portion of an instruction set, each branch instruction in the first portion branching to a respective instruction in a second portion of the instruction set, the branching of the branch instructions to the respective instructions being arranged in a sequential manner. The process may also include randomly generating a second plurality of branch instructions for the second portion of the instruction set, each branch instruction in the second portion branching to a respective instruction in the first portion of the instruction set, the branching of the branch instructions to the respective instructions being arranged in a sequential manner. The process may additionally include generating a plurality of instructions to increment a counter when each branch instruction is encountered during execution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2010
    Publication date: April 26, 2012
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Abhishek Bansal, Nitin P. Gupta, Brad L. Herold, Jayakumar N. Sankarannair