Abstract: A network processor or other type of processor includes first classification circuitry, scheduling circuitry and second classification circuitry. The first classification circuitry is configured to determine for a given packet received by the processor whether the packet has one or more errors. The scheduling circuitry in an illustrative embodiment receives an indication of the error determination made by the first classification circuitry, and based on the indication controls the dropping of the given packet from the processor memories if the packet has one or more errors, e.g., via a flush transmit command. The second classification circuitry, which may be implemented as a single classification engine or a set of such engines, may be configured to perform at least one classification operation for the given packet, e.g., if the packet is supplied thereto by the scheduling circuitry.

Abstract: A memory system having multiple memory banks is configured to prevent bank conflict between access requests. The memory system includes a memory controller and a plurality of memory banks operatively coupled to the memory controller, with each of the memory banks configured for storing a plurality of data items. More particularly, a given data item is stored as multiple copies of the data item with a given one of the multiple copies in each of a designated minimum number of the memory banks. The memory controller is adapted to process requests for access to the data items stored in the memory banks in accordance with a specified bank access sequence. The minimum number of memory banks for storage of the multiple copies of the given data item may be determined as a function of a random cycle time and a random bank access delay of the memory banks, e.g., as an integer greater than or equal to a ratio of the random cycle time to the random bank access delay.

Abstract: A network processor or other type of processor includes a packet analyzer and first memory circuitry operatively coupled to the packet analyzer. The packet analyzer is operative to at least partially analyze one or more packets received by the processor in order to determine for a given one of the packets a portion of the packet to be stored in the first memory circuitry. The portion of the given packet when stored in the first memory circuitry is thereby made accessible for subsequent processing within the processor, without requiring access to second memory circuitry associated with the processor and configured to store substantially the entire given packet. The packet analyzer may be configured to utilize a value stored in a register of the processor to determine the portion of the given packet to be stored in the first memory circuitry. The register may be one of a number of registers which implement a look-up table accessible to the packet analyzer.

Abstract: A superscalar microprocessor predecodes instruction data to identify the boundaries of instructions and the type of instruction. When the cache line is scanned for dispatch, the first scanned instruction is predicted to be a microcode instruction and is dispatched to the MROM unit. A microcode scan circuit uses the location of the first scanned instruction and the functional bits of the predecode data to multiplex instruction specific bytes of the first scanned instruction to the MROM unit. If the first scanned instruction is not the first microcode instruction, then in a subsequent clock cycle, the first microcode instruction is dispatched the MROM unit and the mispredicted instruction is canceled.

Abstract: A superscalar microprocessor predecodes instruction data to identify the boundaries of instructions and the type of instruction. To expedite the dispatch of instructions, when a cache line is scanned, the first scanned instruction is predicted to be a microcode instruction and is dispatched to the MROM unit. A microcode scan circuit uses the microcode pointer and the functional bits of the predecode data to multiplex instruction specific bytes of the first microcode instruction to the MROM unit. If the predicted first microcode instruction is not the actual first microcode instruction, then in a subsequent clock cycle, the actual microcode instruction is dispatched the MROM unit and the incorrectly predicted microcode instruction is canceled.

Abstract: A superscalar microprocessor predecodes instruction data to identify the boundaries of instructions and the type of instruction. In one embodiment, to expedite the dispatch of instructions, the first microcode instruction of the cache line is identified during predecode and stored as a microcode pointer. When the cache line is scanned for dispatch, the microcode pointer is used to identify the first microcode instruction which is conveyed to the MROM unit. In another embodiment, the first scanned instruction is predicted to be a microcode instruction and is dispatched to the MROM unit. A microcode scan circuit uses the microcode pointer and the functional bits of the predecode data to multiplex instruction specific bytes of the first microcode instruction to the MROM unit.