Abstract: A data processing system 2 includes a processor core 4 and a memory 6. The processor core 4 includes processing circuitry 12, 14, 16, 18, 26 controlled by control signals generated by decoder circuitry 24 which decodes program instructions. The program instructions include mixed operand size instructions (either load/store instructions or arithmetic instructions) which have a first input operand of a first operand size and a second input operand of a second input operand size where the second operand size is smaller than the first operand size. The processing performed first converts the second operand so as to have the first operand size. The processing then generates a third operand using as inputs the first operand of the first operand size and the second operand now converted to have the first operand size.

Abstract: A data processing apparatus is provided comprising processing circuitry and an instruction decoder responsive to program instructions to control processing circuitry to perform the data processing. The instruction decoder is responsive to an address calculating instruction to perform an address calculating operation for calculating a partial address result from a non-fixed reference address and a partial offset value such that a full address specifying a memory location of an information entity is calculable from said partial address result using at least one supplementary program instruction. The partial offset value has a bit-width greater than or equal to said instruction size and is encoded within at least one partial offset field of said address calculating instruction. A corresponding data processing method, virtual machine and computer program product are also provided.

Abstract: A data processing apparatus is provided comprising processing circuitry and an instruction decoder responsive to program instructions to control processing circuitry to perform the data processing. The instruction decoder is responsive to an address calculating instruction to perform an address calculating operation for calculating a partial address result from a non-fixed reference address and a partial offset value such that a full address specifying a memory location of an information entity is calculable from said partial address result using at least one supplementary program instruction. The partial offset value has a bit-width greater than or equal to said instruction size and is encoded within at least one partial offset field of said address calculating instruction. A corresponding data processing method, virtual machine and computer program product are also provided.

Abstract: A data processing system 2 includes a processor core 4 and a memory 6. The processor core 4 includes processing circuitry 12, 14, 16, 18, 26 controlled by control signals generated by decoder circuitry 24 which decodes program instructions. The program instructions include mixed operand size instructions (either load/store instructions or arithmetic instructions) which have a first input operand of a first operand size and a second input operand of a second input operand size where the second operand size is smaller than the first operand size. The processing performed first converts the second operand so as to have the first operand size. The processing then generates a third operand using as inputs the first operand of the first operand size and the second operand now converted to have the first operand size.

Abstract: A data processing apparatus 2 comprises a processing circuit 4 and instruction decoder 6. A bitfield manipulation instruction controls the processing apparatus 2 to generate at least one result data element from corresponding first and second source data elements src1, src2. Each result data element includes a portion corresponding to a bitfield bf of the corresponding first source data element src1. Bits of the result data element that are more significant than the inserted bitfield bf have a prefix value p that is selected, based on a control value specified by the instruction, as one of a first prefix value having a zero value, a second prefix value having the value of a portion of the corresponding second source data element src2, and a third prefix value corresponding to a sign extension of the bitfield bf of the first source data element src1.

Abstract: A data processing apparatus, method and computer program that perform an operation on one data element such as a register and then conditionally select either that register or a further register on which no operation has been performed.

Abstract: A low-overhead/power-saving processor synchronization mechanism, and applications thereof. In an embodiment, the present invention provides a processor having a load-linked register. The processor implements instructions related to the load-linked register. A first instruction, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to load a first value specified by the first instruction in a first register of a register file and to load a second value in the load-linked register. A second instruction, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to suspend execution of a stream of instructions associated with the load-linked register if the second value in the load-linked register is unaltered until the second value in the load-linked register is altered.