Abstract: A method and apparatus are described for converting a number from a floating point format to an integer format or from an integer format to a floating point format responsive to a control signal of a control signal format. Numbers are stored in the floating point format in a register of a first set of architectural registers in a packed format. One or more numbers in the floating point format are converted to the integer format and placed in a register of a second set of architectural registers in a packed format. Conversion from integer format to floating point format is performed in a similar manner. A floating point arithmetic apparatus is described that provides for converting a plurality of numbers between integer formats and a floating point formats, further providing for conversion operations that require a greater data path width than floating-point arithmetic operations.

Abstract: A method and machine-readable medium provide flags to commonly derived objects so that redundant method calls are avoided.

Abstract: A system for managing threads to handle transaction requests connected to input/output (I/O) subsystems to enable notification to threads to complete operations.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for including in a computer system, instructions for performing cache memory invalidate and cache memory flush operations. In one embodiment, the computer system comprises a cache memory having a plurality of cache lines each of which stores data, and a storage area to store a data operand. An execution unit is coupled to the storage area, and operates on data elements in the data operand to invalidate data in a predetermined portion of the plurality of cache lines in response to receiving a single instruction.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are described for converting a number from a floating point format to an integer format or from an integer format to a floating point format responsive to a control signal of a control signal format.

Abstract: A system for managing Java threads to decrease the time expended by a central processing unit executing any instructions that will manage threads. I/O operations are offloaded to a serial processor. General computing streams are primarily processed in parallel operations.

Abstract: A method and machine-readable medium provide flags to commonly derived objects so that redundant method calls are avoided.

Abstract: A method and instruction for converting a number between a floating point format and an integer format are described. Numbers are stored in the integer format in a register of a first set of architectural registers in a packed format. At least one of the numbers in the integer format is converted to at least one number in the floating point format. The numbers in the floating point format are placed in a register of a second set of architectural registers in a packed format.

Abstract: A method and instruction for converting a number from a floating point format to an integer format are described. Numbers are stored in the floating point format in a register of a first set of architectural registers in a packed format. At least one of the numbers in the floating point format is converted to at least one 8-bit number in the integer format. The 8-bit number in the integer format is placed in a register of a second set of architectural registers in the packed format.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method and apparatus for optimizing three-dimensional (3-D) transformation on N vertices of a data object based on a transformation matrix of size K×K. The method comprises: storing coordinates of the N vertices in K data items, each of the K data items having N elements; and scheduling a sequence of M operations with a set of P storage elements, the sequence of M operations performing a matrix multiplication of the transformation matrix with the K data items to produce transformed K data items, the set of P storage elements storing a plurality of intermediate results produced by the sequence of M operations.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for processing normalized meshes. The normalized meshes are formed by N polygons which have M vertices. M vertex coordinates are stored in a vertex array corresponding to the M vertices of the N polygons. N polygon indices are stored in an index array. Each of the N polygon indices references a predetermined number of the M vertex coordinates. A first subset of the index array having N1 polygon indices is determined. A second subset of the vertex array is selected such that the second subset contains M1 vertex coordinates corresponding entirely to the N1 polygon indices in the first subset. The second subset defines a window having a small size relative to the vertex array. The M1 vertex coordinates in the second subset are processed to generate processed data. The processed data are then concurrently sent to a graphics processor in an on-line manner.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method and apparatus method for efficient utilization of write-combining buffers for a sequence of non-temporal stores to scattered locations. The method comprises: converting the sequence of non-temporal stores to stores to intermediate buffers; and grouping the stores to intermediate buffers into consecutive non-temporal stores. The consecutive non-temporal stores correspond to adjacent memory locations in the write-combining buffers.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for processing normalized meshes. The normalized meshes are formed by N polygons which have M vertices. M vertex coordinates are stored in a vertex array corresponding to the M vertices of the N polygons. N polygon indices are stored in an index array. Each of the N polygon indices references a predetermined number of the M vertex coordinates. A first subset of the index array having N1 polygon indices is determined. A second subset of the vertex array is selected such that the second subset contains M1 vertex coordinates corresponding entirely to the N1 polygon indices in the first subset. The second subset defines a window having a small size relative to the vertex array. The M1 vertex coordinates in the second subset are processed to generate processed data. The processed data are then concurrently sent to a graphics processor in an on-line manner.

Abstract: A method and instruction for converting a number between a floating point format and an integer format are described. Numbers are stored in the integer format in a register of a first set of architectural registers in a packed format. At least one of the numbers in the integer format is converted to at least one number in the floating point format. The numbers in the floating point format are placed in a register of a second set of architectural registers in a packed format.

Abstract: A method and instruction for converting a number between a floating point format and an integer format are described. Numbers are stored in the integer format in a register of a first set of architectural registers in a scalar format. At least one of the numbers in the scalar format is converted to a number in the floating point format. The number in the floating point format is placed in a register of a second set of architectural registers in a packed format.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method and apparatus for optimizing three-dimensional (3-D) transformation on N vertices of a data object based on a transformation matrix of size K×K. The method comprises: storing coordinates of the N vertices in K data items, each of the K data items having N elements; and scheduling a sequence of M operations with a set of P storage elements, the sequence of M operations performing a matrix multiplication of the transformation matrix with the K data items to produce transformed K data items, the set of P storage elements storing a plurality of intermediate results produced by the sequence of M operations.

Abstract: A method and instruction for converting a number from a floating point format to an integer format are described. Numbers are stored in the floating point format in a register of a first set of architectural registers in a packed format. At least one of the numbers in the floating point format is converted to at least one 8-bit number in the integer format. The 8-bit number in the integer format is placed in a register of a second set of architectural registers in the packed format.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method and apparatus method for efficient utilization of write-combining buffers for a sequence of non-temporal stores to scattered locations. The method comprises: converting the sequence of non-temporal stores to stores to intermediate buffers; and grouping the stores to intermediate buffers into consecutive non-temporal stores. The consecutive non-temporal stores correspond to adjacent memory locations in the write-combining buffers.

Abstract: A method and instruction for converting a number between a floating point format and an integer format are described. Numbers are stored in the integer format in a register of a first set of architectural registers in a packed format. At least one of the numbers in the integer format is converted to at least one number in the floating point format. The numbers in the floating point format are placed in a register of a second set of architectural registers in a packed format.

Abstract: A method and instruction for converting a number from a floating point format to an integer format are described. Numbers are stored in the floating point format in a register of a first set of architectural registers in a packed format. At least one of the numbers in the floating point format is converted to at least one 8-bit number in the integer format. The 8-bit number in the integer format is placed in a register of a second set of architectural registers in the packed format.