Abstract: A bridge is disclosed having a security engine. The bridge permit cryptographic services to be offloaded from a central processing unit to the bridge.

Abstract: A system, apparatus, and method are disclosed for managing predictive accesses to memory. In one embodiment, an exemplary apparatus is configured as a prediction inventory that stores predictions in a number of queues. Each queue is configured to maintain predictions until a subset of the predictions is either issued to access a memory or filtered out as redundant. In another embodiment, an exemplary prefetcher predicts accesses to a memory. The prefetcher comprises a speculator for generating a number of predictions and a prediction inventory, which includes queues each configured to maintain a group of items. The group of items typically includes a triggering address that corresponds to the group. Each item of the group is of one type of prediction. Also, the prefetcher includes an inventory filter configured to compare the number of predictions against one of the queues having the either the same or different prediction type as the number of predictions.

Abstract: A system, apparatus, and method are disclosed for storing and prioritizing predictions to anticipate nonsequential accesses to a memory. In one embodiment, an exemplary apparatus is configured as a prefetcher for predicting accesses to a memory. The prefetcher includes a prediction generator configured to generate a prediction that is unpatternable to an address. Also, the prefetcher also can include a target cache coupled to the prediction generator to maintain the prediction in a manner that determines a priority for the prediction. In another embodiment, the prefetcher can also include a priority adjuster. The priority adjuster sets a priority for a prediction relative to other predictions. In some cases, the placement of the prediction is indicative of the priority relative to priorities for the other predictions. In yet another embodiment, the prediction generator uses the priority to determine that the prediction is to be generated before other predictions.

Abstract: A system, apparatus, and method are disclosed for predicting accesses to memory. In one embodiment, an exemplary apparatus comprises a processor configured to execute program instructions and process program data, a memory including the program instructions and the program data, and a memory processor. The memory processor can include a speculator configured to receive an address containing the program instructions or the program data. Such a speculator can comprise a sequential predictor for generating a configurable number of sequential addresses. The speculator can also include a nonsequential predictor configured to associate a subset of addresses to the address and to predict a group of addresses based on at least one address of the subset, wherein at least one address of the subset is unpatternable to the address.

Abstract: A system, apparatus, and method are disclosed for storing predictions as well as examining and using one or more caches for anticipating accesses to a memory. In one embodiment, an exemplary apparatus is a prefetcher for managing predictive accesses with a memory. The prefetcher can include a speculator to generate a range of predictions, and multiple caches. For example, the prefetcher can include a first cache and a second cache to store predictions. An entry of the first cache is addressable by a first representation of an address from the range of predictions, whereas an entry of the second cache is addressable by a second representation of the address. The first and the second representations are compared in parallel against the stored predictions of either the first cache and the second cache, or both.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention accelerate at least one special purpose processor, such as a GPU, or a driver managing a special purpose processor, by using at least one co-processor. Advantageously, embodiments of the invention are fault-tolerant in that the at least one GPU or other special purpose processor is able to execute all computations, although perhaps at a lower level of performance, if the at least one co-processor is rendered inoperable. The co-processor may also be used selectively, based on performance considerations.

Abstract: A computer system is disclosed with a host bridge that arbitrates access to a system resource from a CPU via a host bus and from a set of bus agents via a peripheral bus. A separate set of priority classes are provided to the CPU and to the bus agents and programmable timers are included to tune system resource allocation between the host and processor busses.

Abstract: A computer system is disclosed with a host bridge that arbitrates access to a system resource from a CPU via a host bus and from a set of bus agents via a peripheral bus. A separate set of priority classes are provided to the CPU and to the bus agents and programmable timers are included to tune system resource allocation between the host and processor busses.

Abstract: A computer system having an integrated bus bridge and memory controller circuit and method for enabling access to a shared memory with high bandwidth data streaming are disclosed. The integrated bus bridge and memory controller circuit performs a series of snoop ahead transactions over a first bus during access transactions to the shared memory that originate over a second bus and thereby enables high bandwidth data streaming on the second bus. The integrated bus bridge and memory controller circuit includes a peripheral write buffer that buffers write data received over the second bus and that stores a snoop done flag for the write data that indicates whether a corresponding snoop ahead transaction for the write data is complete. The integrated bus bridge and memory controller circuit further includes a peripheral read prefetch buffer that prefetches read data during read transactions over the second bus only after a corresponding snoop ahead transaction for the read data is complete.

Abstract: A method for converting signals from one arbitration and management protocol to another. The conversion is performed by at least three state machines. The conversion circuit converts a set of signals on the first bus to a bus request signal on the second bus. The conversion circuit also converts a signal from the second bus and a set of signals on the first bus to bus grant and memory acknowledge signals on the first bus.

Abstract: A computer system having an integrated bus bridge and memory controller circuit and method for enabling access to a shared memory with high bandwidth data streaming are disclosed. The integrated bus bridge and memory controller circuit performs a series of snoop ahead transactions over a first bus during access transactions to the shared memory that originate over a second bus and thereby enables high bandwidth data streaming on the second bus. The integrated bus bridge and memory controller circuit includes a peripheral write buffer that buffers write data received over the second bus and that stores a snoop done flag for the write data that indicates whether a corresponding snoop ahead transaction for the write data is complete. The integrated bus bridge and memory controller circuit further includes a peripheral read prefetch buffer that prefetches read data during read transactions over the second bus only after a corresponding snoop ahead transaction for the read data is complete.