Abstract: Methods and apparatus related to supporting both DDR (Double Data Rate) and NVM (Non-Volatile Memory) DIMM (Dual Inline Memory Module) on the same memory slot are described. In one embodiment, a DIMM comprises volatile memory and non-volatile memory, and data is communicated with the volatile memory and the non-volatile memory via a single memory slot. Other embodiments are also disclosed and claimed.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus related to supporting both DDR (Double Data Rate) and NVM (Non-Volatile Memory) DIMM (Dual Inline Memory Module) on the same memory slot are described. In one embodiment, a DIMM comprises volatile memory and non-volatile memory, and data is communicated with the volatile memory and the non-volatile memory via a single memory slot. Other embodiments are also disclosed and claimed.

Abstract: A prefetch unit for use with a cache subsystem. The prefetch unit includes a stream storage coupled to a prefetch unit. The stream storage may include a plurality of locations configured to store a plurality of entries each corresponding to a respective range of prefetch addresses. The prefetch control may be configured to prefetch an address in response to receiving a cache access request including an address that is within the respective range of prefetch addresses of any of the plurality of entries.

Abstract: A processor may include a scheduler configured to issue operations and a load store unit configured to execute memory operations issued by the scheduler. The load store unit is configured to store information identifying memory operations issued to the load store unit. In response to detection of incorrect data speculation for one of the issued memory operations, the load store unit is configured to replay at least one of the issued memory operations by providing an indication to the scheduler. The scheduler is configured to responsively reissue the memory operations identified by the load store unit.

Abstract: A microprocessor may include one or more functional units configured to execute operations, a scheduler configured to issue operations to the functional units for execution, and at least one replay detection unit. The scheduler may be configured to maintain state information for each operation. Such state information may, among other things, indicate whether an associated operation has completed execution. The replay detection unit may be configured to detect that one of the operations in the scheduler should be replayed. If an instance of that operation is currently being executed by one of the functional units when operation is detected as needing to be replayed, the replay detection unit is configured to inhibit an update to the state information for that operation in response to execution of the in-flight instance of the operation. Various embodiments of computer systems may include such a microprocessor.

Abstract: A microprocessor may include a dispatch unit configured to dispatch load and store operations and a load store unit configured to store information associated with load and store operations dispatched by the dispatch unit. The load store unit includes a STLF (Store-to-Load Forwarding) buffer that includes a plurality of entries. The load store unit is configured to generate an index dependent on at least a portion of an address of a load operation, to use the index to select one of the plurality of entries, and to forward data included in the one of the plurality of entries as a result of the load operation.

Abstract: A microprocessor may include a retire queue and one or more data speculation verification units. The data speculation verification units are each configured to verify data speculation performed on operations. Each data speculation verification unit generates a respective speculation pointer identifying outstanding operations on which data speculation has been verified by that data speculation verification unit. The retire queue is configured to selectively retire operations dependent on the speculation pointer received from each of the data speculation verification units.

Abstract: A cache memory subsystem including a fixed latency read/write pipeline. The cache memory subsystem includes a cache storage which may be configured to store a plurality of cache lines of data. The cache memory subsystem further includes a scheduler which may be configured to schedule reads and writes of information associated with the cache storage using a fixed latency pipeline. In response to scheduling a read request, the scheduler may be further configured to cause an associated write to occur a fixed number of cycles after the scheduling of the read request.

Abstract: A system may include a dispatch unit, a scheduler, and an execution core. The dispatch unit may be configured to modify a load operation to include a register-to-register move operation in response to an indication that a speculative result of the load operation is linked to a data value identified by a first tag. The scheduler may be coupled to the dispatch unit and configured to issue the register-to-register move operation in response to availability of the data value. The execution core may be configured to execute the register-to-register move operation by outputting the data value and a tag indicating that the data value is the result of the load operation.

Abstract: A microprocessor may include a scheduler configured to issue operations and a load store unit configured to execute memory operations issued by the scheduler. The load store unit is configured to store information identifying memory operations issued to the load store unit. In response to detection of incorrect data speculation for one of the issued memory operations, the load store unit is configured to replay at least one of the issued memory operations by providing an indication to the scheduler. The scheduler is configured to responsively reissue the memory operations identified by the load store unit.

Abstract: A system may include an instruction cache, a trace cache including a plurality of trace cache entries, and a trace generator coupled to the instruction cache and the trace cache. The trace generator may be configured to receive a group of instructions output by the instruction cache for storage in one of the plurality of trace cache entries. The trace generator may be configured to detect an exceptional instruction within the group of instructions and to prevent the exceptional instruction from being stored in a same one of the plurality of trace cache entries as any non-exceptional instruction.

Abstract: A processor may include a stack file and an execution core. The stack file may include an entry configured to store an addressing pattern and a tag. The addressing pattern identifies a memory location within the stack area of memory. The stack file may be configured to link a data value identified by the tag stored in the entry to the speculative result of a memory operation if the addressing pattern of the memory operation matches the addressing pattern stored in the entry. The execution core may be configured to access the speculative result when executing another operation that is dependent on the memory operation.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for retaining flag values when an associated data value dies. A first storage circuit includes a free list for storing physical register names (PRNs) and indications indicative of whether a physical register associated with a PRN was assigned to store a logical register result and flag results of a first instruction and a logical register result and a subsequent instruction which overwrites the logical register result but not the flags. A second storage circuit stores PRNs separate from the free list. The first and second storage circuits output first and second PRNs to a selection circuit. If the first indication (associated with the first PRN) is in a first state, the selection circuit may provide the first PRN to a mapper for assignment to a logical register. If the first indication is in a second state, the second PRN may be provided to the mapper.

Abstract: A system may include a memory file, which includes an entry configured to store a first addressing pattern and a first tag, and an execution core coupled to the memory file. The memory file may be configured to compare the first addressing pattern included in the entry to a second addressing pattern of a load operation. If the second addressing pattern matches the first addressing pattern stored in the entry, the memory file is configured to link a data value identified by the first tag to a speculative result of the load operation. The execution core is configured to access the speculative result when executing a second operation that is dependent on the load operation.

Abstract: A system may include a memory file and an execution core. The memory file may include an entry configured to store an addressing pattern and a tag. If an addressing pattern of a memory operation matches the addressing pattern stored in the entry, the memory file may be configured to link a data value identified by the tag to a speculative result of the memory operation. The addressing pattern of the memory operation includes an identifier of a logical register, and the memory file may be configured to predict whether the logical register is being specified as a general purpose register or a stack frame pointer register in order to determine whether the addressing pattern of the memory operation matches the addressing pattern stored in the entry. The execution core may be configured to access the speculative result when executing another operation that is dependent on the memory operation.

Abstract: A microcode instruction unit for a processor may include a microcode memory having entries for storing microcode instructions. A decoder for the microcode memory may decode microcode addresses to select entries of the microcode memory. A microcode entry point generator may receive complex instructions and provide a microcode entry point address to the decoder for each complex instruction. Each microcode entry point address may have a bit-width greater than needed to encode all the entries of the microcode memory. The microcode memory decoder may decode each microcode entry point address to select an entry in the microcode memory storing the beginning of a microcode routine to implement the corresponding complex instruction. The decoder may sparsely decode the microcode address range so that not all entries of said microcode memory are sequentially addressed.

Abstract: Integrated circuits having multiple independently accessible microcode ROMs. An integrated circuit may include a microcode unit and a plurality of microcode ROMs fabricated within the same integrated circuit. The microcode unit may be configured to receive a microcoded instruction and to identify a microcode routine that corresponds to the microcoded instruction. The microcode ROMs may collectively store the microcode routines that implement the microcoded instructions of a complex instruction set, and different microcode ROMs may have different access times. At least one of the microcode ROMs may output operations included in the microcode routine in response to the microcode unit identifying the microcode routine. Microcode routines having more performance criticality may be stored in a microcode ROM having a smaller access latency than the access latency of a microcode ROM in which microcode routines having less performance criticality are stored.

Abstract: A functional unit of a processor may be configured to operate on instructions as either a single, wide functional unit or as multiple, independent narrower units. For example, an execution unit may be scheduled to execute an instruction as a single double-wide execution unit or as two independently schedulable single-wide execution units. Functional unit portions may be independently schedulable for execution of instructions operating on a first data type (e.g. SISD instructions). For single-wide instructions, functional unit portions may be scheduled independently. An issue lock mechanism may lock functional unit portions together so that they form a single multi-wide functional unit. For certain multi-wide instructions (e.g. certain SIMD instructions), an instruction operating on a multi-wide or vector data type may be scheduled so that the full multi-wide operation is performed concurrently by functional unit portions locked together as a one wide functional unit.

Abstract: A system may include a scheduler and an execution core. The scheduler includes an entry allocated to an operation. The entry includes a non-speculative tag and a speculative tag, and both the non-speculative tag and the speculative tag are associated with a first operand of the operation. The scheduler is configured to issue the operation in response to a data value identified by the speculative tag being available. The execution core may be configured to execute the operation using the data value identified by the speculative tag. The scheduler may be configured to reissue the operation if the non-speculative tag appears on a result bus.

Abstract: A microprocessor may include a scheduler configured to issue operations and a load store unit configured to execute memory operations issued by the scheduler. The load store unit is configured to store information identifying memory operations issued to the load store unit. In response to detection of incorrect data speculation for one of the issued memory operations, the load store unit is configured to replay at least one of the issued memory operations by providing an indication to the scheduler. The scheduler is configured to responsively reissue the memory operations identified by the load store unit.