Abstract: A computer system, processor, and method for processing information is disclosed. The system, processor and/or method includes at least one computer processor; a register file associated with the at least one processor, the register file having a plurality of entries for storing data where a whole entry has two halves, the register file having multiple ports to write data to the register file and multiple ports to read data from the register file; and one or more execution units associated with the register file, the execution units configured to read data from the register file and to write data to the register file, wherein the processor is configured to write either scalar data or vector data to a single register file entry.

Abstract: Recovering microprocessor logical register values by: partitioning a register mapper by logical register type; providing a plurality of recovery ports; assigning a logical register type to a recovery port; receiving a restore required instruction; and mapping SRB (save and restore buffer) values to the register mapper by logical register type.

Abstract: In an approach to dynamic redistribution of register files, whether a redistribution of register files is necessary is determined. Responsive to determining that the redistribution of register files is necessary, one or more register file transfers that have not yet completed are flushed. One or more register file write locations are allocated for each architected register based on a register free list. Source data is read from each architected register. The source data is written to the one or more register file write locations.

Abstract: A computer system, processor, and method for processing information is disclosed that includes at least one processor having a main register file, the main register file having a plurality of entries for storing data; one or more execution units including a dense math execution unit; and at least one accumulator register file, the at least one accumulator register file associated with the dense math execution unit. The processor in an embodiment is configured to process data in the dense math execution unit where the results of the dense math execution unit are written to a first group of one or more accumulator register file entries, and after a checkpoint boundary is crossed based upon, for example, the number “N” of instructions dispatched after the start of the checkpoint, the results of the dense math execution unit are written to a second group of one or more accumulator register file entries.

Abstract: A non-limiting example of a computer-implemented method for file register writes using pointers includes, responsive to a dispatch instruction, storing, at a location in a history buffer, an instruction tag and first data associated with the instruction tag. The method further includes storing a pointer in an issue queue. The pointer points to the location in the history buffer. The method further includes performing a write back of second data using the pointer stored in the issue queue. The write back writes the second data into the location of the history buffer associated with the pointer.

Abstract: An aspect includes receiving a flush request at a processing unit that is in a current state defined by contents of registers in a register file. The processing unit includes a plurality of slices and the flush request includes an identifier of a previously issued instruction. The processing unit is restored to a previous state defined by contents of the registers in the register file prior to the previously issued instruction being issued. The restoring includes searching previous state buffers in at least two of the plurality of slices to locate data describing the contents of the registers in the register file prior to the previously issued instruction being issued. The restoring also includes combining the located data to generate results of the searching and updating the contents of the registers in the register file using a single port based at least in part on the results.

Abstract: A method, system, and/or processor for processing data is disclosed that includes processing a parent stream; detecting a branch instruction in the parent stream; activating an additional child stream; setting a copy select vector of the child stream to be the same as the copy select vector of the parent stream; dispatching instructions for the parent stream and the additional child stream, and executing the parent stream and the additional child stream on different execution slices. In an aspect, the method further includes setting the copy select bits in the copy select vector for the child stream to equal the copy select bits in the copy select vector for the parent stream. A first parent mapper copy in an embodiment is associated and used in connection with executing the parent stream and a second different child mapper copy is associated and used in connection with executing the additional child stream.

Abstract: A computer system, processor, and method for processing information is disclosed that includes at least one processor having a main register file, the main register file having a plurality of entries for storing data; one or more execution units including a dense math execution unit; and at least one accumulator register file, the at least one accumulator register file associated with the dense math execution unit. The processor in an embodiment is configured to process data in the dense math execution unit where the results of the dense math execution unit are written to a first group of one or more accumulator register file entries, and after a checkpoint boundary is crossed based upon, for example, the number “N” of instructions dispatched after the start of the checkpoint, the results of the dense math execution unit are written to a second group of one or more accumulator register file entries.

Abstract: Embodiments include systems, methods, and computer program products for using a multi-tier hang buster for detecting and breaking out of hang conditions in a processor. One method includes determining a plurality of actions available at each of a plurality of tiers used for breaking out of the hang condition in the processor. The method also includes, after detecting the hang condition on a first thread of the processor, performing one or more actions available at a first tier of the plurality of tiers to break out of the hang condition. The method further includes, after performing the one or more actions at the first tier and determining that the hang condition is still present, performing one or more actions available at one or more second tiers of the plurality of tiers to break out of the hang condition.

Abstract: A processor configured to manage a transaction memory (TM) state. The processor is configured to receive a first instruction indicating a start of a speculative transaction and update a register file with a speculative transaction memory (TM) state corresponding to the speculative transaction. The processor is further configured to determine whether or not the register file is able to store the entirety of speculative TM state. If the register file is unable to store the entirety of the speculative TM state, the processor is configured to copy a previous TM (pre-TM) state from the register file to a memory which is external to the processor. Further, the processor may be configured to complete updating the register file with the speculative TM state after the pre-TM state has been copied from the register file to the memory.

Abstract: A computer system, processor, and method for processing information is disclosed that includes partitioning a logical register in the processor into a plurality of ranges of logical register entries based upon the logical register entry, assigning at least one recovery port of a history buffer to each range of logical register entries, initiating a flush recovery process for the processor, and directing history buffer entries to the assigned recovery port based upon the logical register entry associated with the history buffer entry.

Abstract: A method, processor and system for processing data is disclosed that includes evicting one or more evicted fields from a logical register mapper; receiving, by a history buffer, the one or more evicted fields from the logical register mapper; determining whether two or more of the evicted fields from the mapper qualify to be written to a single entry in the history buffer; and in response to the two or more evicted fields qualifying, writing the two or more qualifying evicted fields received from the mapper to a single entry in the qualified history buffer. The method, processor, and/or system further includes in an embodiment, remapping the one or more qualified evicted fields, and further, in response to the two or more evicted fields not qualifying to be written to a single entry in the history buffer, writing the two or more evicted fields to multiple history buffer entries.

Abstract: A computer system includes a dispatch routing network to dispatch a plurality of instructions, and a processor in signal communication with the dispatch routing network. The processor determines a move instruction from the plurality of instructions to move data produced by an older second instruction, and copies a splice target file (STF) tag from a source register of the move instruction to a destination register of the move instruction without physically copying data in a slice target register and without assigning a new STF tag destination to the move instruction.

Abstract: A computer system, processor, and method for processing information is disclosed that includes partitioning a logical register in the processor into a plurality of ranges of logical register entries based upon the logical register entry, assigning at least one recovery port of a history buffer to each range of logical register entries, initiating a flush recovery process for the processor, and directing history buffer entries to the assigned recovery port based upon the logical register entry associated with the history buffer entry.

Abstract: A computer system, processor, and method for processing information is disclosed. The system, processor and/or method includes at least one computer processor; a register file associated with the at least one processor, the register file having a plurality of entries for storing data where a whole entry has two halves, the register file having multiple ports to write data to the register file and multiple ports to read data from the register file; and one or more execution units associated with the register file, the execution units configured to read data from the register file and to write data to the register file, wherein the processor is configured to write either scalar data or vector data to a single register file entry.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for performing issue queue snooping for an asynchronous flush and restore of a history buffer (HB) in a processing unit. One technique includes identifying an entry of the HB to restore to a register file in the processing unit. A restore ITAG of the HB entry is sent to the register file via a first restore bus, and restore data of the HB entry and the restore ITAG is sent to the register file via a second restore bus. After the restore ITAG and restore data are sent, an instruction is dispatched before the register file obtains the restore data. After it is determined that the restore data is still available via the second restore bus, a snooping operation is performed to obtain the restore data from the second restore bus for the dispatched instruction.

Abstract: A method, system, and/or processor for processing data is disclosed that includes processing a parent stream; detecting a branch instruction in the parent stream; activating an additional child stream; setting a copy select vector of the child stream to be the same as the copy select vector of the parent stream; dispatching instructions for the parent stream and the additional child stream, and executing the parent stream and the additional child stream on different execution slices. In an aspect, the method further includes setting the copy select bits in the copy select vector for the child stream to equal the copy select bits in the copy select vector for the parent stream. A first parent mapper copy in an embodiment is associated and used in connection with executing the parent stream and a second different child mapper copy is associated and used in connection with executing the additional child stream.

Abstract: A method, system, and/or processor for processing data is disclosed that includes processing a parent stream, detecting a branch instruction in the parent stream, activating an additional child stream, copying the content of a parent mapper copy of the parent stream to an additional child mapper copy, dispatching instructions for the parent stream and the additional child stream, and executing the parent stream and the additional child stream on different execution slices. In an aspect, a first parent mapper copy is associated and used in connection with executing the parent stream and a second different child mapper copy is associated and used in connection with executing the additional child stream. The method in an aspect includes processing one or more streams and/or one or more threads of execution on one or more execution slices.

Abstract: A method, processor and system for processing data is disclosed that includes evicting one or more evicted fields from a logical register mapper; receiving, by a history buffer, the one or more evicted fields from the logical register mapper; determining whether two or more of the evicted fields from the mapper qualify to be written to a single entry in the history buffer; and in response to the two or more evicted fields qualifying, writing the two or more qualifying evicted fields received from the mapper to a single entry in the qualified history buffer. The method, processor, and/or system further includes in an embodiment, remapping the one or more qualified evicted fields, and further, in response to the two or more evicted fields not qualifying to be written to a single entry in the history buffer, writing the two or more evicted fields to multiple history buffer entries.

Abstract: A method, processor and/or system for processing data is disclosed that in an aspect includes providing a physical register file with one or more register file entries for storing data; identifying each physical register file entry with a row identifier to identify the entry row in the physical register file; enabling one or more columns within a target entry row of the physical register file; and revising data in the columns enabled within the target entry row of the physical register file. In an aspect, each physical register file entry is partitioned into a plurality of columns having a bit width and a column mask preferably is used to enable the one or more columns within the target row of the physical register file, and data is revised in only the columns enabled by the column mask.