Abstract: A data processing apparatus including a multiplier unit forming a product from L bits of each two data buses of N bits each N is greater than L. The multiplier forms a N bit output having a first portion which is the L most significant bits of the of product and a second portion which is M other bits not including the L least significant bits of the product, where N is the sum of M and L. In the preferred embodiment the M other bits are derived from other bits of the two input data busses, such as the M other bits of the first input data bus. An arithmetic logic unit performs parallel operations (addition, subtraction, Boolean functions) controlled by the same instructions. This arithmetic logic unit is divisible into a selected number of sections for performing identical operations on independent sections of its inputs. The multiplier unit may form dual products from separate parts of the input data.

Abstract: This invention is a data processing apparatus which may interface with plural types of memories. A static decoder coupled to an external port decodes signals which from an external source that indicate the type of memory. Interface circuitry receives coded information from the static decoder and selects a protocol for information transfer. In the preferred embodiment, the protocol includes addressing information having multiplexed row/column addresses for accessing dynamic memories or un-multiplexed addresses for accessing static memories. The interface circuitry further includes a column address shifter. The column address shifter shifts address bits to vary the number of bits available for column addressing. The data processing apparatus attempts to use page mode addressing whenever possible. A lastpage register coupled to the address generator for stores previous address information. A comparator compares the previous address information stored in the lastpage register to the current address.

Abstract: A data processing apparatus includes plural data registers, an arithmetic logic unit and a status register. The status register stores a plurality of different types of status bits. These status bits could be a negative status bit, a carry status bit, an overflow status bit and a zero status bit. These status bits are normally set dependent upon the condition of the result generated by the current arithmetic logic unit operation. A status bit protect instruction type permits selection of status bits protected from modification corresponding to the current arithmetic logic unit result. This status bit protect instruction preferably includes individual protect bit corresponding to each status bit. If a protect bit has a first digital state, then the corresponding status bit may be modified corresponding to the current arithmetic logic unit result.

Abstract: A data processing apparatus includes a three input arithmetic logic unit (230) that generates a combination of the three inputs that is selected by a function signal. Data registers (200) store the three data inputs and the arithmetic logic unit output. The second input signal comes from a controllable barrel rotator (235). The rotate amount is a default rotate amount stored in a special data register, a predetermined set of bits of data recalled from a data register or zero. A one's constant source (236) is connected to the barrel rotator (235) to supply a multibit digital signal of "1". This permits generating a second input signal of the form 2.sup.N, with N being the rotate amount. The output of the barrel rotator (235) may be stored independently of the arithmetic logic unit (230) result. In the preferred embodiment of this invention, the three input arithmetic logic unit (230) is embodied in a data processor circuits as a part of a multiprocessor integrated circuit (100) used in image processing.

Abstract: A data processing apparatus includes a three input arithmetic logic unit (230) that generates a combination of the three inputs that is selected by a function signal. Data registers (200) store the three data inputs and the arithmetic logic unit output. The second input signal comes from a controllable shifter (235). The shift amount is a default shift amount stored in a special data register, a predetermined set of bits of data recalled from a data register or zero. A one's constant source (236) is connected to the shifter (235) to supply a multibit digital signal of "1". This permits generating a second input signal of the form 2.sup.N, with N being the shift amount. The output of the shifter (235) may be stored independently of the arithmetic logic unit (230) result. The third input signal comes from a multiplexer (233) that selects between an instruction specified immediate field, data recalled from a data register or a mask input from a mask generator (239).

Abstract: There is disclosed a multi-processor system and method arranged, in one embodiment, as an image and graphics processor. The image processor is structured with several individual processors all having communication links to several memories. A crossbar switch serves to establish the processor memory links. The entire image processor, including the individual processors, the crossbar switch and the memories, is contained on a single silicon chip.

Abstract: A data processing apparatus (71) includes a data processor bus (103), the rotation register (208) and a register selection circuit. The rotation register (208) is embodied by a plurality of data registers (200) each having a plurality of equal bit groups. The number of bits within each bit group of each data register preferably equals the number N of data registers. The register selection circuit permits normal register reads and writes via the data processor bus. The register selection circuit permits special rotational data accesses. In a rotation read mode the register selection circuit selects noncontiguous bits from a predetermined position within each sections for each of the data registers for read access. In a rotation write mode the register selection circuit selects noncontiguous bits from a predetermined position within each sections for each of the data registers for write access. The data registers (200) are connected together in a loop (208).

Abstract: A memory store operation comes from one of a pair of registers selected by an arithmetic logic unit condition. An instruction logic circuit (250, 660) controls an addressing circuit (120) to store data in a first register into memory if a selected status bit has a first state and to store data in a second register associated with the first register into memory if the selected status bit has a second state in response to a register pair conditional store instruction. The bits may indicate a negative output of the arithmetic logic unit (230), a carry out signal, an overflow, or a zero output. The register pair conditional store instruction designates a particular one of the status bits to control the conditional store. The instruction logic circuit (250, 660) substitutes the selected status bit for a least significant bit of the register number. Thus memory store is from the first register if the status bit is "1" and is from the second register if the status bit is "0".

Abstract: There is disclosed a multi-processor system arranged, in one embodiment, as an image and graphics processor. The processor is structured with several individual processors all having communication links to several memories. The individual processors can, on a cycle by cycle basis, be grouped in any configuration to run in synchronism (but from different instruction streams) with the other processors in that group. More than one such synchronized group can be formed concurrently. A crossbar switch serves to establish the processor memory links and the entire image processor, including the individual processors, the crossbar switch and the memories are contained on a single silicon chip.

Abstract: A data processing apparatus including a multiplier unit forming a product from L bits of each two data buses of N bits each N is greater than L. The multiplier forms a N bit output having a first portion which is the L most significant bits of the of product and a second portion which is M other bits not including the L least significant bits of the product, where N is the sum of M and L. In the preferred embodiment the M other bits are derived from other bits of the two input data busses, such as the M other bits of the first input data bus.

Abstract: A data processing apparatus includes a three input arithmetic logic unit (230) that generates a Boolean combination of the three inputs that is selected by a function signal. The arithmetic logic unit is capable of forming all possible Boolean combinations of the three inputs. Data registers (200) store the three data inputs and the arithmetic logic unit output. The second input signal comes from a controllable shifter (235). The shift amount is a default shift amount stored in a special data register, a predetermined set of bits of data recalled from a data register or zero. A one's constant source (236) is connected to the shifter (235) to supply an N bit digital signal of "1". This permits generating a second input signal of the form 2.sup.N, with N being the shift amount. The output of the shifter (235) may be stored independently of the arithmetic logic unit (230) result.

Abstract: A data processing apparatus includes a three input arithmetic logic unit (230) that generates a combination of the three inputs that is selected by a function signal. Data registers (200) store the three data inputs and the arithmetic logic unit output. The second input signal optionally comes from a controllable shifter (235). The shift amount is a default shift amount stored in a special data register, a predetermined set of bits of data recalled from a data register or zero. A one's constant source (236) is connected to the shifter (235) to supply an N bit digital signal of "1". This permits generating a second input signal of the form 2.sup.N, with N being the shift amount. The output of the shifter (235) may be stored independently of the arithmetic logic unit (230) result. The third input signal optionally comes from a multiplexer (233) that selects between an instruction specified immediate field, data recalled from a data register or a mask input from a mask generator (239).

Abstract: A three input arithmetic logic unit (230) generates a combination of the three inputs that is selected by a function signal. The second input signal comes from a controllable shifter (235). The shift amount is a default shift amount stored in a special data register, a predetermined set of bits of data recalled from a data register or zero. A one's constant source (236) is connected to the shifter (235) to supply a multibit digital signal of "1". This permits generating a second input signal of the form 2.sup.N, with N being the shift amount. The output of the shift (235) may be stored independently of the arithmetic logic unit (230) result. The third input signal comes from a multiplexer (233) that selects between an instruction specified immediate field, data recalled from a data register or a mask input from a mask generator (239). One preferred form of the mask has a number of right justified 1's corresponding to a mask input signal.

Abstract: A three input arithmetic logic unit (230) that generates a combination of the three inputs that is selected by a function signal. The second input signal comes from a controllable barrel rotator (235). The rotate amount is a default rotate amount stored in a special data register, a predetermined set of bits of data recalled from a data register or zero. A one's constant source (236) is connected to the barrel rotator (235) to supply a multibit digital signal of "1". This permits generating a second input signal of the form 2.sup.N, with N being the rotate amount. The output of the barrel rotator (235) may be stored independently of the arithmetic logic unit (230) result. The third input signal comes from a multiplexer (233) that selects between an instruction specified immediate field, data recalled from a data register or a mask input from a mask generator (239). One preferred form of the mask has a number of right justified 1's corresponding to a mask input signal.

Abstract: There is disclosed a multi-processor system arranged, in one embodiment, as an image and graphics processor. The processor is structured with several individual processors all having communication links to several memories. The individual processors can, on a cycle by cycle basis, be grouped in any configuration to run in synchronism (but from different instruction streams) with the other processors in that group. More than one such synchronized group can be formed concurrently. A crossbar switch serves to establish the processor memory links and the entire image processor, including the individual processors, the crossbar switch and the memories are contained on a single silicon chip.

Abstract: In a pipeline data processor (11), an address pipeline (39, 41) id provided to hold the addresses of the instructions presently in the instruction pipeline (23, 25). The address pipeline facilitates tracing only executed instructions, and permits stopping the data processor during a branch delay slot without losing the branch information.

Abstract: A multi-processor system arranged, in one embodiment, as an image and graphics processor. The processor is structured with several individual processors all having communication links to several memories. The individual processors can, on a cycle by cycle basis, be grouped in any configuration to run in synchronism (but from different instruction streams) with the other processors in that group. More than one such synchronized group can be formed concurrently. A crossbar switch serves to establish the processor memory links and the entire image processor, including the individual processors, the crossbar switch and the memories are contained on a single silicon chip.

Abstract: There is disclosed a multi-processor system arranged, in one embodiment, as an image and graphics processor. The processor is structured with several individual processors all having communication links to several memories. The individual processors can, on a cycle by cycle basis, be grouped in any configuration to run in synchronism (but from different instruction streams) with the other processors in that group. More than one such synchronized group can be formed concurrently. A crossbar switch serves to establish the processor memory links and the entire image processor, including the individual processors, the crossbar switch and the memories are contained on a single silicon chip.

Abstract: A data processing apparatus having an arithmetic logic unit (230) with conditional register source selection includes a plurality of data registers (200), a status register (210) storing at least one status bit, an arithmetic logic unit (230) and an instruction decode logic (245, 246, 250). The instruction decode logic (245, 246, 250) responds to a received register pair conditional source instruction to supply data from either a first register or a second register to the first input of said arithmetic logic unit (230) depending on the digital state of a status bit. Preferably an instruction field indicates whether the instruction involves conditional register pair source selection. There are preferably a plurality of status bits and the register pair conditional source instruction determines which status bit controls the source selection. A prior output of the arithmetic logic unit (230) sets the plural status bits. These may include negative, carry, overflow and zero.

Abstract: There is disclosed a multi-processor system and method arranged, in one embodiment, as an image and graphics processor. The image processor is structured with several individual processors all having communication links to several memories. A crossbar switch serves to establish the processor memory links. The entire image processor, including the individual processors, the crossbar switch and the memories, is contained on a single silicon chip.