Abstract: Method, apparatus, and program means for performing bitstream buffer manipulation with a SIMD merge instruction. The method of one embodiment comprises determining whether any unprocessed data bits for a partial variable length symbol exist in a first data block is made. A shift merge operation is performed to merge the unprocessed data bits from the first data block with a second data block. A merged data block is formed. A merged variable length symbol comprised of the unprocessed data bits and a plurality of data bits from the second data block is extracted from the merged data block.

Abstract: A cache management operation. In one embodiment, a first recall value for a first unit of data is generated, a second recall value for a second unit of data is generated, and the first and second recall values are compared. The unit of data having the higher recall value is stored in a first section of a storage device. The unit of data having the lower recall value is stored in a second section of a storage device. A greater amount of compression is performed on the unit of data having the lower recall value.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for extracting and loading data to/from a buffer are described. The method includes the selection of data from a data buffer in response to execution of a data access instruction. The data buffer includes a plurality of data storage devices, one or more of which initially contain the selected data. Accordingly, the plurality of data storage devices form a single address space that is addressable at a bit-level. When the selected data spans from a source data storage device to a next data storage device of the data buffer, a portion of the selected data from source data storage device is concatenated with a remaining portion of the selected data from the next data storage device to form the selected data as a contiguous unit. Finally, once the selected data is formed, the selected data is stored within a destination data storage device.

Abstract: A cache management operation. In one embodiment, a first recall value for a first unit of data is generated, a second recall value for a second unit of data is generated, and the first and second recall values are compared. The unit of data having the higher recall value is stored in a first section of a storage device. The unit of data having the lower recall value is stored in a second section of a storage device. A greater amount of compression is performed on the unit of data having the lower recall value.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for extracting and loading data to/from a buffer are described. The method includes the selection of data from a data buffer in response to execution of a data access instruction. The data buffer includes a plurality of data storage devices, one or more of which initially contain the selected data. Accordingly, the plurality of data storage devices form a single address space that is addressable at a bit-level. When the selected data spans from a source data storage device to a next data storage device of the data buffer, a portion of the selected data from source data storage device is concatenated with a remaining portion of the selected data from the next data storage device to form the selected data as a contiguous unit. Finally, once the selected data is formed, the selected data is stored within a destination data storage device.