Patents by Inventor John S. Thayer

John S. Thayer 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: 6298438
    Abstract: A multimedia extension unit (MEU) is provided for performing various multimedia-type operations. The MEU can be coupled either through a coprocessor bus or a local CPU bus to a conventional processor. The MEU employs vector registers, a vector ALU, and an operand routing unit (ORU) to perform a maximum number of the multimedia operations within as few instruction cycles as possible. Complex algorithms are readily performed by arranging operands upon the vector ALU in accordance with the desired algorithm flowgraph. The ORU aligns the operands within partitioned slots or sub-slots of the vector registers using vector instructions unique to the MEU. At the output of the ORU, operand pairs from vector source or destination registers can be easily routed and combined at the vector ALU. The vector instructions employ special load/store instructions in combination with numerous operational instructions to carry out concurrent multimedia operations on the aligned operands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2001
    Assignees: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc., Compaq Computer Corporation
    Inventors: John S. Thayer, John G. Favor, Frederick D. Weber
  • Patent number: 6215504
    Abstract: A routable operand and selectable operation processor multimedia extension unit is employed to draw lines in a video system using an efficient, parallel technique. A first series of integral y pixel values and error values are calculated according to Bresenham's line drawing algorithm. Then, subsequent pixels and error values are calculated in parallel based on the previously calculated values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2001
    Assignee: Compaq Computer Corporation
    Inventors: Brian E. Longhenry, Gary W. Thome, John S. Thayer
  • Patent number: 6173366
    Abstract: A multimedia extension unit (MEU) is provided for performing various multimedia-type operations. The MEU can be coupled either through a coprocessor bus or a local CPU bus to a conventional processor. The MEU employs vector registers, a vector ALU, and an operand routing unit (ORU) to perform a maximum number of the multimedia operations within as few instruction cycles as possible. Complex algorithms are readily performed by arranging operands upon the vector ALU in accordance with the desired algorithm flowgraph. The ORU aligns the operands within partitioned slots or sub-slots of the vector registers using vector instructions unique to the MEU. At the output of the ORU, operand pairs from vector source or destination registers can be easily routed and combined at the vector ALU. The vector instructions employ special load/store instructions in combination with numerous operational instructions to carry out concurrent multimedia operations on the aligned operands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2001
    Assignees: Compaq Computer Corp., Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: John S. Thayer, John G. Favor, Frederick D. Weber
  • Patent number: 6154831
    Abstract: A multimedia extension unit (MEU) is provided for performing various multimedia-type operations. The MEU can be coupled either through a coprocessor bus or a local CPU bus to a conventional processor. The MEU employs vector registers, a vector ALU, and an operand routing unit (ORU) to perform a maximum number of the multimedia operations within as few instruction cycles as possible. Complex algorithms are readily performed by arranging operands upon the vector ALU in accordance with the desired algorithm flowgraph. The ORU aligns the operands within partitioned slots or sub-slots of the vector registers using vector instructions unique to the MEU. At the output of the ORU, operand pairs from vector source or destination registers can be easily routed and combined at the vector ALU.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2000
    Assignees: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc., Compaq Computer, Corp.
    Inventors: John S. Thayer, Gary W. Thome, John G. Favor, Frederick D. Weber
  • Patent number: 6141673
    Abstract: A multimedia extension unit (MEU) is provided for performing various multimedia-type operations. The MEU can be coupled either through a coprocessor bus or a local central processing unit (CPU) bus to a conventional processor. The MEU employs vector registers, a vector arithmetic logic unit (ALU), and an operand routing unit (ORU) to perform a maximum number of the multimedia operations within as few instruction cycles as possible. Complex algorithms are readily performed by arranging operands upon the vector ALU in accordance with the desired algorithm flowgraph. The ORU aligns the operands within partitioned slots or sub-slots of the vector registers using vector instructions unique to the MEU. At the output of the ORU, operand pairs from vector source or destination registers can be easily routed and combined at the vector ALU.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2000
    Assignees: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc., Compaq Computer Corp.
    Inventors: John S. Thayer, John Gregory Favor, Frederick D. Weber
  • Patent number: 6061521
    Abstract: A multimedia extension unit (MEU) is provided for performing various multimedia-type operations. The MEU may be coupled either through a coprocessor bus or a local CPU bus to a conventional processor. The MEU employs vector registers, a vector ALU, and an operand routing unit (ORU) to perform a maximum number of the multimedia operations within as few instruction cycles as possible. Complex algorithms are readily performed by arranging operands upon the vector ALU in accordance with the desired algorithm flowgraph. The ORU aligns the operands within partitioned slots or sub-slots of the vector registers using vector instructions unique to the MEU. At the output of the ORU, operand pairs from vector source or destination registers may be easily routed and combined at the vector ALU. The vector instructions employ special load/store instructions in combination with numerous operational instructions to carry out concurrent multimedia operations on the aligned operands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2000
    Assignees: Compaq Computer Corp., Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: John S. Thayer, Gary W. Thome, John G. Favor, Frederick D. Weber
  • Patent number: 6047372
    Abstract: A multimedia extension unit (MEU) is provided for performing various multimedia-type operations. The MEU can be coupled either through a coprocessor bus or a local CPU bus to a conventional processor. The MEU employs vector registers, a vector ALU, and an operand routing unit (ORU) to perform a maximum number of the multimedia operations within as few instruction cycles as possible. Complex algorithms are readily performed by arranging operands upon the vector ALU in accordance with the desired algorithm flowgraph. The ORU aligns the operands within partitioned slots or sub-slots of the vector registers using vector instructions unique to the MEU. At the output of the ORU, operand pairs from vector source or destination registers can be easily routed and combined at the vector ALU. The vector instructions employ special load/store instructions in combination with numerous operational instructions to carry out concurrent multimedia operations on the aligned operands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2000
    Assignees: Compaq Computer Corp., Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: John S. Thayer, Brian E. Longhenry, John G. Favor, Frederick D. Weber
  • Patent number: 6009505
    Abstract: A multimedia extension unit (MEU) is provided for performing various multimedia-type operations. The MEU can be coupled either through a coprocessor bus or a local CPU bus to a conventional processor. The MEU employs vector registers, a vector ALU, and an operand routing unit (ORU) to perform a maximum number of the multimedia operations within as few instruction cycles as possible. Complex algorithms are readily performed by arranging operands upon the vector ALU in accordance with the desired algorithm flowgraph. The ORU aligns the operands within partitioned slots or sub-slots of the vector registers using vector instructions unique to the MEU. At the output of the ORU, operand pairs from vector source or destination registers can be easily routed and combined at the vector ALU. The vector instructions employ special load/store instructions in combination with numerous operational instructions to carry out concurrent multimedia operations on the aligned operands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1999
    Assignees: Compaq Computer Corp., Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: John S. Thayer, Gary W. Thome, Brian E. Longhenry, John G. Favor, Frederick D. Weber
  • Patent number: 6006245
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method perform an N-point Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) on first and second arrays having real and imaginary input values using a processor with a multimedia extension unit (MEU), wherein N is a power of two. The invention repetitively sub-divides the N-point Fourier Transform into N/2-point Fourier Transforms until only a 2-point Fourier Transform remains. Next, it vector processes the 2-point Fourier Transform using the MEU and cumulates the results of the 2-point Fourier Transforms from each of the sub-divided N/2 Fourier Transforms to generate the result of the N-point Fourier Transform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1999
    Assignee: Compaq Computer Corporation
    Inventor: John S. Thayer
  • Patent number: 5991865
    Abstract: A routable operand and selectable operation processor multimedia extension unit is employed to motion compensate MPEG video using improved vector processing. A vector processing unit executes an add and divide instruction that adds two vector registers and divides the result in a single instruction. This is implemented through loading a first vector register with a first plurality of elements from a source block. A second vector register is then loaded with a second plurality of elements that are adjacent to the first plurality of elements. The add and divide instruction is then executed on the first and second vector registers, yielding an interpolated source element that is stored in a resultant vector register.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1999
    Assignee: Compaq Computer Corporation
    Inventors: Brian E. Longhenry, Gary W. Thome, John S. Thayer
  • Patent number: 5941938
    Abstract: A multimedia extension unit (MEU) is provided for performing various multimedia-type operations. The MEU can be coupled either through a coprocessor bus or a local CPU bus to a conventional processor. The MEU employs vector registers, a vector ALU, and an operand routing unit (ORU) to perform a maximum number of the multimedia operations within as few instruction cycles as possible. Complex algorithms are readily performed by arranging operands upon the vector ALU in accordance with the desired algorithm flowgraph. The ORU aligns the operands within partitioned slots or sub-slots of the vector registers using vector instructions unique to the MEU. At the output of the ORU, operand pairs from vector source or destination registers can be easily routed and combined at the vector ALU. The vector instructions employ special load/store instructions in combination with numerous operational instructions to carry out concurrent multimedia operations on the aligned operands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 24, 1999
    Assignees: Compaq Computer Corp., Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventor: John S. Thayer
  • Patent number: 5931892
    Abstract: A signal represented as a matrix of input values is adaptively filtered using a processor with a multimedia extension unit. A plurality of coefficients are loaded into a first vector register and input values are loaded into a second vector register. Next, for each of the coefficients in the first vector register, (1) a single cycle vector multiply-accumulate operation is performed between the selected coefficient and the input values stored in the second vector register and the result is stored in a third register; (2) a partition-shift on input values in the second vector register is then performed and a new input value is then moved into the second vector register. After each of the four loaded coefficients have been processed, the results are saved and the operation is repeated until all input values in the matrix have been processed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 3, 1999
    Assignee: Compaq Computer Corporation
    Inventors: Gary W. Thome, John S. Thayer
  • Patent number: 5909572
    Abstract: A multimedia extension unit (MEU) is provided for performing various multimedia-type operations. The MEU can be coupled either through a coprocessor bus or a local CPU bus to a conventional processor. The MEU employs vector registers, a vector ALU, and an operand routing unit (ORU) to perform a maximum number of the multimedia operations within as few instruction cycles as possible. Complex algorithms are readily performed by arranging operands upon the vector ALU in accordance with the desired algorithm flowgraph. The ORU aligns the operands within partitioned slots or sub-slots of the vector registers using vector instructions unique to the MEU. At the output of the ORU, operand pairs from vector source or destination registers can be easily routed and combined at the vector ALU. The vector instructions employ special load/store instructions in combination with numerous operational instructions to carry out concurrent multimedia operations on the aligned operands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 1, 1999
    Assignees: Compaq Computer Corp., Advanced Micro Device, Inc.
    Inventors: John S. Thayer, John G. Favor, Frederick D. Weber
  • Patent number: 5893145
    Abstract: A multimedia extension unit (MEU) is provided for performing various multimedia-type operations. The MEU can be coupled either through a coprocessor bus or a local CPU bus to a conventional processor. The MEU employs vector registers, a vector ALU, and an operand routing unit (ORU) to perform a maximum number of the multimedia operations within as few instruction cycles as possible. Complex algorithms are readily performed by arranging operands upon the vector ALU in accordance with the desired algorithm flowgraph. The ORU aligns the operands within partitioned slots or sub-slots of the vector registers using vector instructions unique to the MEU. At the output of the ORU, operand pairs from vector source or destination registers can be easily routed and combined at the vector ALU. The vector instructions employ special load/store instructions in combination with numerous operational instructions to carry out concurrent multimedia operations on the aligned operands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1999
    Assignees: Compaq Computer Corp., Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: John S. Thayer, Gary W. Thome, Brian E. Longhenry
  • Patent number: 5862063
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for massaging audio signal perform interpolation, dynamic filtering, and panning on the audio signal represented as a matrix of input values. In the interpolation process, the input values are loaded into first and second vector registers, while fractional coefficients are loaded into a third vector register. Next, the first vector register is subtracted from the second vector register. Additionally, in a single operation, the routine performs a vector multiply operation between the second and third registers and accumulates the result of the vector multiply operation in the second register. The results are saved and the process is repeated until all input values in the matrix have been processed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1999
    Assignee: Compaq Computer Corporation
    Inventors: Gary W. Thome, John S. Thayer
  • Patent number: 5850227
    Abstract: A routable operand and selectable operation processor multimedia extension unit is employed to stretch pixel bit images in a video system using an efficient, parallel technique. For a series of pixels in a row, a series of interpolation values are established, based on multiples of a reciprocal of a stretch factor. For each interpolation value, the integral portion is used to establish the appropriate two source pixels, and the fractional portion then provides weighting of those pixel values. The various source pixels and interpolation values are routed using the operand routing and operated upon using the vector selectable operations, yielding two destination pixels calculated in parallel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 15, 1998
    Assignee: Compaq Computer Corporation
    Inventors: Brian E. Longhenry, John S. Thayer
  • Patent number: 5812876
    Abstract: A computer system which includes a DMA controller on the local I/O unit which can be programmed by either the host processor or the local processor. Semaphore flags and lock bits are provided to allow determination of control of the local DMA controller and for passing information. Additionally, data alignment and padding circuitry is provided. The circuitry is informed of the logical data arrangement desired or utilized by the host processor or other devices and knows the data arrangement of the local processor. The circuitry properly obtains and realigns the data based on the transfer direction and data arrangement. The circuitry further properly zero pads the data when realignment is such that padding is necessary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1998
    Assignee: Compaq Computer Corporation
    Inventors: Mark W. Welker, John S. Thayer
  • Patent number: 5801975
    Abstract: A multimedia extension unit (MEU) is provided for performing various multimedia-type operations. The MEU can be coupled either through a coprocessor bus or a local central processing unit (CPU) bus to a conventional processor. The MEU employs vector registers, a vector arithmetic logic unit (ALU), and an operand routing unit (ORU) to perform a maximum number of the multimedia operations within as few instruction cycles as possible. Complex algorithms are readily performed by arranging operands upon the vector ALU in accordance with the desired algorithm flowgraph. The ORU aligns the operands within partitioned slots or sub-slots of the vector registers using vector instructions unique to the MEU. At the output of the ORU, operand pairs from vector source or destination registers can be easily routed and combined at the vector ALU.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 1, 1998
    Assignee: Compaq Computer Corporation and Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: John S. Thayer, John G. Favor, Frederick D. Weber
  • Patent number: 5598579
    Abstract: A computer system which includes a DMA controller on the local I/O unit which can be programmed by either the host processor or the local processor. Semaphore flags and lock bits are provided to allow determination of control of the local DMA controller and for passing information. Additionally, data alignment and padding circuitry is provided. The circuitry is informed of the logical data arrangement desired or utilized by the host processor or other devices and knows the data arrangement of the local processor. The circuitry properly obtains and realigns the data based on the transfer direction and data arrangement. The circuitry further properly zero pads the data when realignment is such that padding is necessary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 28, 1997
    Assignee: Compaq Computer Corporation
    Inventors: Mark W. Welker, John S. Thayer
  • Patent number: 5590378
    Abstract: A computer system which includes a DMA controller on the local I/O unit which can be programmed by either the host processor or the local processor. Semaphore flags and lock bits are provided to allow determination of control of the local DMA controller and for passing information. Additionally, data alignment and padding circuitry is provided. The circuitry is informed of the logical data arrangement desired or utilized by the host processor or other devices and knows the data arrangement of the local processor. The circuitry properly obtains and realigns the data based on the transfer direction and data arrangement. The circuitry further properly zero pads the data when realignment is such that padding is necessary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 31, 1996
    Assignee: Compaq Computer Corporation
    Inventors: John S. Thayer, Patrick L. Ferguson