Abstract: A load-store unit (LSU) of a processor core determines whether or not a second store operation specifies an adjacent update to that specified by a first store operation. The LSU additionally determines whether the total store data length of the first and second store operations exceeds a maximum size. Based on determining the second store operation specifies an adjacent update and the total store data length does not exceed the maximum size, the LSU merges the first and second store operations and writes merged store data into a same write block of a cache. Based on determining that the total store data length exceeds the maximum size, the LSU splits the second store operation into first and second portions, merges the first portion with the first store operation, and writes store data of the partially merged store operation into the write block.

Abstract: System includes at least one computer processor having a load store execution unit (LSU) for processing load and store instructions, wherein the LSU includes (a) a store queue having a plurality of entries for storing data, each store queue entry having a data field for storing the data, the data field having a width for storing the data; and (b) a gather buffer for holding data, wherein the processor is configured to: process oversize data larger than the width of the data field of the store queue, and process an oversize load instruction for oversize data by executing two passes through the LSU, a first pass through the LSU configured to store a first portion of the oversize data in the gather buffer and a second pass through the LSU configured to merge the first portion of the oversize data with a second portion of the oversize data.

Abstract: Translation lookaside buffer (TLB) invalidation using virtual addresses is provided. A cache is searched for a virtual address matching the input virtual address. Based on a matching virtual address in the cache, the corresponding cache entry is invalidated. The load/store queue is searched for a set and a way corresponding to the set and the way of the invalidated cache entry. Based on an entry in the load/store queue matching the set and the way of the invalidated cache entry, the entry in the load/store queue is marked as pending. Indicating a completion of the TLB invalidate instruction is delayed until all pending entries in the load/store queues are complete.

Abstract: A computer system, includes a store queue that holds store entries and a load queue that holds load entries sleeping on a store entry. A processor detects a store drain merge operation call and generates a pair of store tags comprising a first store tag corresponding to a first store entry to be drained and a second store tag corresponding to a second store entry to be drained. The processor determines the pair of store tags an even-type store tag or an odd-type store tag. The processor disables the odd store tag included in the even-type store tag pair when detecting the even-type store tag pair, and wakes up a first load entry dependent on the even store tag and a second load entry dependent on the odd store tag based on the even store tag included in the even-type store tag pair while the odd store tag is disabled.

Abstract: Translation lookaside buffer (TLB) invalidation using virtual addresses is provided. A cache is searched for a virtual address matching the input virtual address. Based on a matching virtual address in the cache, the corresponding cache entry is invalidated. The load/store queue is searched for a set and a way corresponding to the set and the way of the invalidated cache entry. Based on an entry in the load/store queue matching the set and the way of the invalidated cache entry, the entry in the load/store queue is marked as pending. Indicating a completion of the TLB invalidate instruction is delayed until all pending entries in the load/store queues are complete.

Abstract: System includes at least one computer processor having a load store execution unit (LSU) for processing load and store instructions, wherein the LSU includes (a) a store queue having a plurality of entries for storing data, each store queue entry having a data field for storing the data, the data field having a width for storing the data; and (b) a gather buffer for holding data, wherein the processor is configured to: process oversize data larger than the width of the data field of the store queue, and process an oversize load instruction for oversize data by executing two passes through the LSU, a first pass through the LSU configured to store a first portion of the oversize data in the gather buffer and a second pass through the LSU configured to merge the first portion of the oversize data with a second portion of the oversize data.

Abstract: Provided is a method for fusing store instructions in a microprocessor. The method includes identifying two instructions in an execution pipeline of a microprocessor. The method further includes determining that the two instructions meet a fusion criteria. In response to determining that the two instructions meet the fusion criteria, the two instructions are recoded into a fused instruction. The fused instruction is executed.

Abstract: Handling unaligned load operations, including: receiving a request to load data stored within a range of addresses; determining that the range of addresses includes addresses associated with a plurality of caches, wherein each of the plurality of caches are associated with a distinct processor slice; issuing, to each distinct processor slice, a request to load data stored within a cache associated with the distinct processor slice, wherein the request to load data stored within the cache associated with the distinct processor slice includes a portion of the range of addresses; executing, by each distinct processor slice, the request to load data stored within the cache associated with the distinct processor slice; and receiving, over a plurality of data communications busses, execution results from each distinct processor slice, wherein each data communications busses is associated with one of the distinct processor slices.

Abstract: Handling unaligned load operations, including: receiving a request to load data stored within a range of addresses; determining that the range of addresses includes addresses associated with a plurality of caches, wherein each of the plurality of caches are associated with a distinct processor slice; issuing, to each distinct processor slice, a request to load data stored within a cache associated with the distinct processor slice, wherein the request to load data stored within the cache associated with the distinct processor slice includes a portion of the range of addresses; executing, by each distinct processor slice, the request to load data stored within the cache associated with the distinct processor slice; and receiving, over a plurality of data communications busses, execution results from each distinct processor slice, wherein each data communications busses is associated with one of the distinct processor slices.

Abstract: Preventing hazard flushes in an instruction sequencing unit of a multi-slice processor including receiving a load instruction in a load reorder queue, wherein the load instruction is an instruction to load data from a memory location; subsequent to receiving the load instruction, receiving a store instruction in a store reorder queue, wherein the store instruction is an instruction to store data in the memory location; determining that the store instruction causes a hazard against the load instruction; preventing a flush of the load reorder queue based on a state of the load instruction; and re-executing the load instruction.

Abstract: An information handling system and method is disclosed for processing information that in an embodiment includes at least one processor; at least one queue associated with the processor for holding instructions; and at least one age matrix associated with the queue for determining the relative age of the instructions held within the queue, including in situations where if multiple instructions enter the queue at the same time, age comparison calculations are first performed by comparing each simultaneous incoming instruction independently to instructions already in the queue, and then performing age calculations between the simultaneous incoming instructions. In one aspect, if the incoming instruction is older than any in-thread instruction already in the queue, then assigning for the older in-thread instruction in the age matrix the age of the next youngest in-thread instruction already in the queue.

Abstract: Handling unaligned load operations, including: receiving a request to load data stored within a range of addresses; determining that the range of addresses includes addresses associated with a plurality of caches, wherein each of the plurality of caches are associated with a distinct processor slice; issuing, to each distinct processor slice, a request to load data stored within a cache associated with the distinct processor slice, wherein the request to load data stored within the cache associated with the distinct processor slice includes a portion of the range of addresses; executing, by each distinct processor slice, the request to load data stored within the cache associated with the distinct processor slice; and receiving, over a plurality of data communications busses, execution results from each distinct processor slice, wherein each data communications busses is associated with one of the distinct processor slices.

Abstract: Handling unaligned load operations, including: receiving a request to load data stored within a range of addresses; determining that the range of addresses includes addresses associated with a plurality of caches, wherein each of the plurality of caches are associated with a distinct processor slice; issuing, to each distinct processor slice, a request to load data stored within a cache associated with the distinct processor slice, wherein the request to load data stored within the cache associated with the distinct processor slice includes a portion of the range of addresses; executing, by each distinct processor slice, the request to load data stored within the cache associated with the distinct processor slice; and receiving, over a plurality of data communications busses, execution results from each distinct processor slice, wherein each data communications busses is associated with one of the distinct processor slices.

Abstract: Handling unaligned load operations, including: receiving a request to load data stored within a range of addresses; determining that the range of addresses includes addresses associated with a plurality of caches, wherein each of the plurality of caches are associated with a distinct processor slice; issuing, to each distinct processor slice, a request to load data stored within a cache associated with the distinct processor slice, wherein the request to load data stored within the cache associated with the distinct processor slice includes a portion of the range of addresses; executing, by each distinct processor slice, the request to load data stored within the cache associated with the distinct processor slice; and receiving, over a plurality of data communications busses, execution results from each distinct processor slice, wherein each data communications busses is associated with one of the distinct processor slices.

Abstract: Handling unaligned load operations, including: receiving a request to load data stored within a range of addresses; determining that the range of addresses includes addresses associated with a plurality of caches, wherein each of the plurality of caches are associated with a distinct processor slice; issuing, to each distinct processor slice, a request to load data stored within a cache associated with the distinct processor slice, wherein the request to load data stored within the cache associated with the distinct processor slice includes a portion of the range of addresses; executing, by each distinct processor slice, the request to load data stored within the cache associated with the distinct processor slice; and receiving, over a plurality of data communications busses, execution results from each distinct processor slice, wherein each data communications busses is associated with one of the distinct processor slices.

Abstract: Operation of a multi-slice processor that includes a plurality of execution slices, a plurality of load/store slices, and one or more instruction sequencing units, where operation includes: receiving, at a load/store slice from an instruction sequencing unit, a instruction to be issued; determining, at the load/store slice, a rejection condition for the instruction; and responsive to determining the rejection condition for the instruction, maintaining state information for the instruction in the load/store slice instead of notifying the instruction sequencing unit of a rejection of the instruction.

Abstract: Operation of a multi-slice processor that includes a plurality of execution slices, a plurality of load/store slices, and one or more instruction sequencing units, where operation includes: receiving, at a load/store slice from an instruction sequencing unit, a instruction to be issued; determining, at the load/store slice, a rejection condition for the instruction; and responsive to determining the rejection condition for the instruction, maintaining state information for the instruction in the load/store slice instead of notifying the instruction sequencing unit of a rejection of the instruction.

Abstract: A load store unit (LSU) in a processor core detects that new data produced by the processor core is ready to be drained to an L2 cache. In response to the LSU detecting that an earlier version of the new data is not stored in L1 cache, a memory controller sends the new data as L1 cache missed data to a store queue (STQ), where the STQ makes data available for deallocation from the STQ to the L2 cache. In response to determining that there is no newer data waiting to be stored in the STQ, or no cache line invalidate to the line containing the store data in the STQ that misses the cache, the memory controller maintains the new data in the STQ with a zombie stat bit that indicates that the new data is a zombie store entry that can be utilized by the processor core.

Abstract: An instruction sequencing unit in an out-of-order (OOO) processor includes a Most Favored Instruction (MFI) mechanism that designates an instruction as an MFI. The processing queues in the processor identify when they contain the MFI, and assures processing the MFI. The MFI remains the MFI until it is completed or is flushed, and which time the MFI mechanism selects the next MFI.

Abstract: Handling unaligned load operations, including: receiving a request to load data stored within a range of addresses; determining that the range of addresses includes addresses associated with a plurality of caches, wherein each of the plurality of caches are associated with a distinct processor slice; issuing, to each distinct processor slice, a request to load data stored within a cache associated with the distinct processor slice, wherein the request to load data stored within the cache associated with the distinct processor slice includes a portion of the range of addresses; executing, by each distinct processor slice, the request to load data stored within the cache associated with the distinct processor slice; and receiving, over a plurality of data communications busses, execution results from each distinct processor slice, wherein each data communications busses is associated with one of the distinct processor slices.