Abstract: An apparatus generally having a cache memory and a circuit is disclosed. The circuit may be configured to (i) parse a single first command received from a processor into a first address and a first value and (ii) allocate a first one of a plurality of lines in the cache memory to a buffer in response to the first command. The first line (a) is generally associated with the first address and (b) may have a plurality of first words. The circuit may be further configured to (iii) preset each of the first words in the first line to the first value.

Abstract: An apparatus generally having a processor and a direct memory access controller is disclosed. The processor may be configured to increment a task counter to indicate that a new one of a plurality of tasks is scheduled. The direct memory access controller may be configured to (i) execute the new task to transfer data between a plurality of memory locations in response to the task counter being incremented and (ii) decrement the task counter in response to the executing of the new task.

Abstract: A method is provided for performing caching in a processing system including at least one data cache. The method includes the steps of: determining whether each of at least a subset of cache entries stored in the data cache comprises data that has been loaded using fetch ahead (FA); associating an identifier with each cache entry in the subset of cache entries, the identifier indicating whether the cache entry comprises data that has been loaded using FA; and implementing a cache replacement policy for controlling replacement of at least a given cache entry in the data cache with a new cache entry as a function of the identifier associated with the given cache entry.

Abstract: A method is provided for performing cache line fetching and/or cache fetch ahead in a processing system including at least one processor core and at least one data cache operatively coupled with the processor. The method includes the steps of: retrieving post modification information from the processor core and a memory address corresponding thereto; and the processing system performing, as a function of the post modification information and the memory address retrieved from the processor core, cache line fetching and/or cache fetch ahead control in the processing system.

Abstract: An apparatus generally including an internal memory and a direct memory access controller is disclosed. The direct memory access controller may be configured to (i) read first information from an external memory across an external bus, (ii) generate second information by processing the first information, (iii) write the first information across an internal bus to a first location in the internal memory during a direct memory access transfer and (iv) write the second information across the internal bus to a second location in the internal memory during the direct memory access transfer. The second location may be different from the first location.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for branch prediction. As an example, some embodiments of the present invention provides processor circuits that include a program address circuit, a branch target buffer, a branch prediction replacement circuit, and an execution pipeline. The branch target buffer includes a plurality of entries each associated with a respective change of flow instruction. Each entry includes an indication of an entry source and a next program address corresponding to the respective change of flow instruction. The branch prediction replacement circuit is operable to determine replacement priorities of the plurality of entries based at least in part on the entry source for each of the plurality of entries. The execution pipeline receives an executable instruction corresponding to one of the next program addresses.

Abstract: An apparatus generally having a processor, a cache and a circuit is disclosed. The processor may be configured to generate (i) a plurality of access addresses and (ii) a plurality of program counter values corresponding to the access addresses. The cache may be configured to present in response to the access addresses (i) a plurality of data words and (ii) a plurality of address information corresponding to the data words. The circuit may be configured to record a plurality of events in a file in response to a plurality of cache misses. A first of the events in the file due to a first of the cache misses generally includes (i) a first of the program counter values, (ii) a first of the address information and (iii) a first time to prefetch a first of the data word from a memory to the cache.

Abstract: An apparatus having a first cache and a controller is disclosed. The first cache may be configured to assert a first signal after receiving given information in response to being ready to receive additional information. The controller may be configured to (i) fetch the given information from a memory to the first cache and (ii) prefetch first information in a direct memory access transfer from the memory to the first cache in response to the assertion of the first signal.

Abstract: An apparatus having a first circuit and a second circuit is disclosed. The first circuit may be configured to generate a plurality of packed items by extracting-and-packing a plurality of input data words based on a bit mask. The second circuit may be configured to (i) receive the packed items from the first circuit, (ii) sequentially buffer the packed items in a plurality of registers, at least one of the packed items crossing a boundary between a current one of the registers and a next one of the registers, and (iii) write the packed items in the current register to a memory in response to the current register becoming full.

Abstract: An apparatus having a processor and a circuit is disclosed. The processor generally has a pipeline. The circuit may be configured to (i) detect a first write instruction in the pipeline that writes to a resource, (ii) stall a read instruction in the pipeline where (a) a first read-after-write conflict exists between the first write instruction and the read instruction and (b) no other write instruction to the resource is scheduled between the first write instruction and the read instruction and (iii) not stall the read instruction due to the first read-after-write conflict where a second write instruction to the resource is scheduled between the first write instruction and the read instruction.

Abstract: An apparatus generally having a processor and a direct memory access controller is disclosed. The processor may be configured to increment a task counter to indicate that a new one of a plurality of tasks is scheduled. The direct memory access controller may be configured to (i) execute the new task to transfer data between a plurality of memory locations in response to the task counter being incremented and (ii) decrement the task counter in response to the executing of the new task.

Abstract: A DMA controller and a method for statistical allocation of multichannel DMA bandwidth. In one embodiment, the DMA controller includes: (1) channel interfaces including respective counters and configured to provide request signals, priority signals and counter value signals representing current values of the counters at a given time and (2) a grant control unit coupled to the channel interfaces and configured to grant DMA access to one of the channel interfaces based on values of the priority signals and the counter value signals.

Abstract: A DMA controller and a method for statistical allocation of multichannel DMA bandwidth. In one embodiment, the DMA controller includes: (1) channel interfaces including respective counters and configured to provide request signals, priority signals and counter value signals representing current values of the counters at a given time and (2) a grant control unit coupled to the channel interfaces and configured to grant DMA access to one of the channel interfaces based on values of the priority signals and the counter value signals.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for branch prediction. As an example, some embodiments of the present invention provides processor circuits that include a program address circuit, a branch target buffer, a branch prediction replacement circuit, and an execution pipeline. The branch target buffer includes a plurality of entries each associated with a respective change of flow instruction. Each entry includes an indication of an entry source and a next program address corresponding to the respective change of flow instruction. The branch prediction replacement circuit is operable to determine replacement priorities of the plurality of entries based at least in part on the entry source for each of the plurality of entries. The execution pipeline receives an executable instruction corresponding to one of the next program addresses.