Abstract: A streaming engine employed in a digital data processor specifies a fixed read only data stream defined by plural nested loops. An address generator produces address of data elements for the nested loops. A steam head register stores data elements next to be supplied to functional units for use as operands. A stream template specifies loop count and loop dimension for each nested loop. A format definition field in the stream template specifies the number of loops and the stream template bits devoted to the loop counts and loop dimensions. This permits the same bits of the stream template to be interpreted differently enabling trade off between the number of loops supported and the size of the loop counts and loop dimensions.

Abstract: A method to classify source data in a processor in response to a vector floating-point classification instruction includes specifying, in respective fields of the vector floating-point classification instruction, a source register containing the source data and a destination register to store classification indications for the source data. The source register includes a plurality of lanes that each contains a floating-point value and the destination register includes a plurality of lanes corresponding to the lanes of the source register. The method further includes executing the vector floating-point classification instruction by, for each lane in the source register, classifying the floating-point value in the lane to identify a type of the floating-point value, and storing a value indicative of the identified type in the corresponding lane of the destination register.

Abstract: This invention is a streaming engine employed in a digital signal processor. A fixed data stream sequence is specified by a control register. The streaming engine fetches stream data ahead of use by a central processing unit and stores it in a stream buffer. Upon occurrence of a fault reading data from memory, the streaming engine identifies the data element triggering the fault preferably storing this address in a fault address register. The streaming engine defers signaling the fault to the central processing unit until this data element is used as an operand. If the data element is never used by the central processing unit, the streaming engine never signals the fault. The streaming engine preferably stores data identifying the fault in a fault source register. The fault address register and the fault source register are preferably extended control registers accessible only via a debugger.

Abstract: A streaming engine employed in a digital data processor specifies a fixed read only data stream defined by plural nested loops. An address generator produces address of data elements for the nested loops. A steam head register stores data elements next to be supplied to functional units for use as operands. A stream template register specifies a circular address mode for the loop, first and second block size numbers and a circular address block size selection. For a first circular address block size selection the block size corresponds to the first block size number. For a first circular address block size selection the block size corresponds to the first block size number. For a second circular address block size selection the block size corresponds to a sum of the first block size number and the second block size number.

Abstract: A streaming engine employed in a digital data processor specifies a fixed read only data stream defined by plural nested loops. An address generator produces addresses of data elements. A steam head register stores data elements next to be supplied to functional units for use as operands. Stream metadata is stored in response to a stream store instruction. Stored stream metadata is restored to the stream engine in response to a stream restore instruction. An interrupt changes an open stream to a frozen state discarding stored stream data. A return from interrupt changes a frozen stream to an active state.

Abstract: A method for writing data to memory that provides for generation of a predicate to disable a portion of the elements so that only the enabled elements are written to memory. Such a method may be employed to write multi-dimensional data to memory and/or may be used with a streaming address generator.

Abstract: A streaming engine employed in a digital data processor specifies a fixed read only data stream defined by plural nested loops. An address generator produces address of data elements for the nested loops. A steam head register stores data elements next to be supplied to functional units for use as operands. A stream template specifies loop count and loop dimension for each nested loop. A format definition field in the stream template specifies the number of loops and the stream template bits devoted to the loop counts and loop dimensions. This permits the same bits of the stream template to be interpreted differently enabling trade off between the number of loops supported and the size of the loop counts and loop dimensions.

Abstract: A method to classify source data in a processor in response to a vector floating-point classification instruction includes specifying, in respective fields of the vector floating-point classification instruction, a source register containing the source data and a destination register to store classification indications for the source data. The source register includes a plurality of lanes that each contains a floating-point value and the destination register includes a plurality of lanes corresponding to the lanes of the source register. The method further includes executing the vector floating-point classification instruction by, for each lane in the source register, classifying the floating-point value in the lane to identify a type of the floating-point value, and storing a value indicative of the identified type in the corresponding lane of the destination register.

Abstract: A streaming engine employed in a digital data processor specifies a fixed read only data stream defined by plural nested loops. An address generator produces address of data elements for the nested loops. A steam head register stores data elements next to be supplied to functional units for use as operands. A stream template register specifies a circular address mode for the loop, first and second block size numbers and a circular address block size selection. For a first circular address block size selection the block size corresponds to the first block size number. For a first circular address block size selection the block size corresponds to the first block size number. For a second circular address block size selection the block size corresponds to a sum of the first block size number and the second block size number.

Abstract: A streaming engine employed in a digital data processor specifies a fixed read only data stream defined by plural nested loops. An address generator produces addresses of data elements. A stream head register stores data elements next to be supplied to functional units for use as operands. Stream metadata is stored in response to a stream store instruction. Stored stream metadata is restored to the stream engine in response to a stream restore instruction. An interrupt changes an open stream to a frozen state discarding stored stream data. A return from interrupt changes a frozen stream to an active state.

Abstract: A device includes an interconnect and a plurality of devices connected to the interconnect. The plurality of devices includes a first interface connected to the interconnect and a second interface connected to the interconnect. The plurality of devices further includes a first memory bank connected to the interconnect and a second memory bank connected to the interconnect. The plurality of devices further includes an external memory interface connected to the interconnect and a controller configured to establish virtual channels among the plurality of devices connected to the interconnect.

Abstract: A technique for method for executing instructions in a processor includes receiving a first instruction, receiving a second instruction, identifying a functional unit specified by an opcode contained in an opcode field of the first instruction, selecting a field of the second instruction that contains predicate information based on the identified functional unit, and executing the first instruction in a conditional manner using the identified functional unit and the predicate information contained in the selected field of the second instruction.

Abstract: An integrated circuit, comprising an instruction pipeline that includes instruction fetch phase circuitry, instruction decode phase circuitry, and instruction execution circuitry. The instruction execution circuitry includes transformation circuitry for receiving an interleaved dual vector operand as an input and for outputting a first natural order vector including a first set of data values from the interleaved dual vector operand and a second natural order vector including a second set of data values from the interleaved dual vector operand.

Abstract: The Multicore Bus Architecture (MBA) protocol includes a novel technique of sharing the same physical channel for all transaction types. Two channels, the Transaction Attribute Channel (TAC) and the Transaction Data Channel (TDC) are used. The attribute channel transmits bus transaction attribute information optionally including a transaction type signal, a transaction ID, a valid signal, a bus agent ID signal, an address signal, a transaction size signal, a credit spend signal and a credit return signal. The data channel connected a data subset of the signal lines of the bus separate from the attribute subset of signal lines the bus. The data channel optionally transmits a data valid signal, a transaction ID signal, a bus agent ID signal and a last data signal to mark the last data of a current bus transaction.

Abstract: A method for writing data to memory that provides for generation of a predicate to disable a portion of the elements so that only the enabled elements are written to memory. Such a method may be employed to write multi-dimensional data to memory and/or may be used with a streaming address generator.

Abstract: A streaming engine employed in a digital data processor specifies a fixed read only data stream. Once fetched data elements in the data stream are disposed in lanes in a stream head register in the fixed order. Some lanes may be invalid, for example when the number of remaining data elements are less than the number of lanes in the stream head register. The streaming engine automatically produces a valid data word stored in a stream valid register indicating lanes holding valid data. The data in the stream valid register may be automatically stored in a predicate register or otherwise made available. This data can be used to control vector SIMD operations or may be combined with other predicate register data.

Abstract: Techniques related to executing a plurality of instructions by a processor comprising a method for executing a plurality of instructions by a processor. The method comprises detecting a pipeline hazard based on one or more instructions provided for execution by an instruction execution pipeline, beginning execution of an instruction, of the one or more instructions on the instruction execution pipeline, stalling a portion of the instruction execution pipeline based on the detected pipeline hazard, storing a register state associated with the execution of the instruction based on the stalling, determining that the pipeline hazard has been resolved, and restoring the register state to the instruction execution pipeline based on the determination.

Abstract: A streaming engine employed in a digital signal processor specifies a fixed read only data stream. Once fetched the data stream is stored in two head registers for presentation to functional units in the fixed order. Data use by the functional unit is preferably controlled using the input operand fields of the corresponding instruction. A first read only operand coding supplies data from the first head register. A first read/advance operand coding supplies data from the first head register and also advances the stream to the next sequential data elements. Corresponding second read only operand coding and second read/advance operand coding operate similarly with the second head register. A third read only operand coding supplies double width data from both head registers.

Abstract: A device includes an interconnect and a plurality of devices connected to the interconnect. The plurality of devices includes a first interface connected to the interconnect and a second interface connected to the interconnect. The plurality of devices further includes a first memory bank connected to the interconnect and a second memory bank connected to the interconnect. The plurality of devices further includes an external memory interface connected to the interconnect and a controller configured to establish virtual channels among the plurality of devices connected to the interconnect.

Abstract: A technique for method for executing instructions in a processor includes receiving a first instruction, receiving a second instruction, identifying a functional unit specified by an opcode contained in an opcode field of the first instruction, selecting a field of the second instruction that contains predicate information based on the identified functional unit, and executing the first instruction in a conditional manner using the identified functional unit and the predicate information contained in the selected field of the second instruction.