Abstract: A multi-mode transaction queue may operate according to a default priority scheme. When a congestion event is detected, the transaction queue may engage a second priority scheme.

Abstract: Disclosed is a particulate of an ore material having a metal value metal value and a matrix material having a sulfur content wherein the sulfur is present in an oxidation-reduction state of zero or less, the particulate comprising (a) a core particle of the ore material, with the core particle having a size of less than about two inches; and (b) a layer of particles of the ore material and an inoculate of sulfur biooxidizing bacteria in admixture with the particles; wherein the particulate has sufficient strength to retain at least about 95% of a void volume for a column height of about 6 feet for at least 200 days when continuously bathed in a solution comprised of the inoculate or a nutrient therefor. Also disclosed is a heap comprising a plurality of the particulate.

Abstract: A multi-mode transaction queue may operate according to a default priority scheme. When a congestion event is detected, the transaction queue may engage a second priority scheme.

Abstract: A scheduler stores data to be scheduled. The scheduler may include an array that identifies relative priorities among the queue entries according to a first priority scheme, such as by age. The scheduler also may include a priority register array identifying relative priorities among the queue entries according to a second priority scheme, such as by data type. A plurality of detectors coupled to the array and to the priority register array may determine which data is to be scheduled next.

Abstract: A prefetching control system provided for a processor. The prefetching queue may include an arbiter, a cache queue and a prefetch queue. The arbiter issues requests including read requests. Responsive to a read request, the cache queue issues a control signal. The prefetch queue receives the control signal and an address associated with the read request. When the received address is a member of a pattern of read requests from sequential memory locations, the prefetch queue issues a prefetch request to the arbiter.

Abstract: A transaction management system is described for scheduling requests on an external bus. The system includes a number of queue registers to store requests and a controller coupled to queue registers to schedule external bus transactions for an agent that processes read requests, prefetch requests and write requests. The controller posts at least one write request to an external bus every defined number of transactions if at least one non-posted write request is stored in the queue registers.

Abstract: A bidirectional multidrop processor bus is connected to a plurality of bus agents. Bus throughput can be increased by operating the bus in a multi pumped signaling mode in which multiple information elements are driven onto a bus by a driving agent at a rate that is a multiple of the frequency of the bus clock. The driving agent also activates a strobe to identify sampling points for the information elements. Information elements for a request can be driven, for example, using a double pumped signaling mode in which two information elements are driven during one bus clock cycle. Data elements for a data line transfer can be driven, for example, using a quad pumped signaling mode in which four data elements are driven during one bus clock cycle. Multiple strobe signals can be temporarily activated in an offset or staggered arrangement to reduce the frequency of the strobe signals. Sampling symmetry can be improved by using only one type of edge (e.g.

Abstract: A scheduler stores data to be scheduled. The scheduler may include an array that identifies relative priorities among the queue entries according to a first priority scheme, such as by age. The scheduler also may include a priority register array identifying relative priorities among the queue entries according to a second priority scheme, such as by data type. A plurality of detectors coupled to the array and to the priority register array may determine which data is to be scheduled next.

Abstract: A bidirectional multidrop processor bus is connected to a plurality of bus agents. Bus throughput can be increased by operating the bus in a multi pumped signaling mode in which multiple information elements are driven onto a bus by a driving agent at a rate that is a multiple of the frequency of the bus clock. The driving agent also activates a strobe to identify sampling points for the information elements. Information elements for a request can be driven, for example, using a double pumped signaling mode in which two information elements are driven during one bus clock cycle. Data elements for a data line transfer can be driven, for example, using a quad pumped signaling mode in which four data elements are driven during one bus clock cycle. Multiple strobe signals can be temporarily activated in an offset or staggered arrangement to reduce the frequency of the strobe signals. Sampling symmetry can be improved by using only one type of edge (e.g.

Abstract: Techniques for suspending execution of a thread in a multi-threaded processor. In one embodiment, a processor includes resources that can be partitioned between multiple threads. Processor logic receives an instruction in a first thread of execution, and, in response to that instruction, relinquishes portions of the portioned resources for use by other threads.

Abstract: Techniques for suspending execution of a thread until a specified memory access occurs. In one embodiment, a set of instructions executable by a machine may specify a monitor address, suspend a thread until a monitor break event occurs, and test whether the monitor break event is a write to the monitor address. If the monitor break event is not a write to the monitor address, then the thread is suspending again.

Abstract: Techniques for suspending execution of a thread until a specified memory access occurs. In one embodiment, a processor includes multiple execution units capable of executing multiple threads. A first thread includes an instruction that specifies a monitor address. Suspend logic suspends execution of the first thread, and a monitor causes resumption of the first thread in response to an access to the specified monitor address.

Abstract: Coherency techniques for suspending execution of a thread until a specified memory access occurs. In one embodiment, a processor includes a cache, execution logic to execute an instruction having an operand indicating a monitor address and a bus controller. In one embodiment, the bus controller is to assert a preventative signal in response to receiving a memory access attempting to gain sufficient ownership of a cache line associated with said monitor address to allow modification of said cache line without generation of another transaction indicative of the modification. In another embodiment, the bus controller is to generate a bus cycle in response to the instruction to eliminate any ownership of the cache line by another processor that would allow a modification of the cache line without generation of another memory access indicative of the modification.

Abstract: A prefetching control system provided for a processor. The prefetching queue may include an arbiter, a cache queue and a prefetch queue. The arbiter issues requests including read requests. Responsive to a read request, the cache queue issues a control signal. The prefetch queue receives the control signal and an address associated with the read request. When the received address is a member of a pattern of read requests from sequential memory locations, the prefetch queue issues a prefetch request to the arbiter.

Abstract: A scheduler stores data to be scheduled. The scheduler may include an array that identifies relative priorities among the queue entries according to a first priority scheme, such as by age. The scheduler also may include a priority register array identifying relative priorities among the queue entries according to a second priority scheme, such as by data type. A plurality of detectors coupled to the array and to the priority register array may determine which data is to be scheduled next.

Abstract: A prefetching control system provided for a processor. The prefetching queue may include an arbiter, a cache queue and a prefetch queue. The arbiter issues requests including read requests. Responsive to a read request, the cache queue issues a control signal. The prefetch queue receives the control signal and an address associated with the read request. When the received address is a member of a pattern of read requests from sequential memory locations, the prefetch queue issues a prefetch request to the arbiter.

Abstract: A scheduler stores data to be scheduled. The scheduler may include an array that identifies relative priorities among the queue entries according to a first priority scheme, such as by age. The scheduler also may include a priority register array identifying relative priorities among the queue entries according to a second priority scheme, such as by data type. A plurality of detectors coupled to the array and to the priority register array may determine which data is to be scheduled next.

Abstract: A prefetching control system provided for a processor. The prefetching queue may include an arbiter, a cache queue and a prefetch queue. The arbiter issues requests including read requests. Responsive to a read request, the cache queue issues a control signal. The prefetch queue receives the control signal and an address associated with the read request. When the received address is a member of a pattern of read requests from sequential memory locations, the prefetch queue issues a prefetch request to the arbiter.

Abstract: A bus agent that may be used in an enhanced highly pipelined bus architecture. In one embodiment, the bus agent includes a target ready interface, a set of response interfaces for a set of response signals, and a data bus busy interface, and a bus clock interface for a bus clock signal. The bus agent of this embodiment also includes bus controller logic to track a plurality of transactions comprising a transaction N-1 and a transaction N, the bus controller being capable of asserting the target ready signal for transaction N if the bus agent is asserting the data busy signal for the transaction N-1 and deasserts the data busy signal.

Abstract: An error correction system in an agent provides an error correction in a circuit path extending from an internal cache to an output of the agent. When data errors are detected for data to be processed internally within the agent, the error correction system passes the corrupted data through the error correction circuit, and out of the agent and back into the agent. The error correction changes internal data requests into an external transaction when data errors are detected.