Abstract: A cache system, having cache sets, a connection to a line identifying an execution type, a connection to a line identifying a status of speculative execution, and a logic circuit that can: allocate a first subset of cache sets when the execution type is a first type indicating non-speculative execution, allocate a second subset when the execution type changes from the first type to a second type indicating speculative execution, and reserve a cache set when the execution type is the second type. When the execution type changes from the second to the first type and the status of speculative execution indicates that a result of speculative execution is to be accepted, the logic circuit can reconfigure the second subset when the execution type is the first type; and allocate the at least one cache set when the execution type changes from the first to the second type.

Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods related to a computer system having a page table entry containing security settings for calls from predefined domains are described. The page table entry can be used to map a virtual memory address to a physical memory address. In response to a call to execute a routine identified using the virtual memory address, a security setting corresponding to the execution domain from which the call initiates can be extracted from the page table entry to determine whether a security measure is to be used. For example, a shadow stack structure can be used to protect the private stack content of the routine from being access by a caller and/or to protect the private stack content of the caller from being access by the callee.

Abstract: A computing device (e.g., a processor) having a plurality of branch target buffers. A first branch target buffer in the plurality of branch target buffers is used in execution of a set of instructions containing a call to a subroutine. In response to the call to the subroutine, a second branch target buffer is allocated from the plurality of branch target buffers for execution of instructions in the subroutine. The second branch target buffer is cleared before the execution of the instructions in the subroutine. The execution of the instructions in the subroutine is restricted to access the second branch target buffer and blocked from accessing branch target buffers other than the second branch target buffer.

Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods related to a virtual machine register in a computer processor are described. For example, a memory coupled to the computer processor can store instructions of routines of predefined, non-hierarchical domains. The computer processor can store, in the virtual machine register, an identifier of a virtual machine for which the processor is currently executing instructions in a current domain in the set of domains. For example, the processor can implement resource restriction/mapping and/or perform address translation for the virtual machine based on the identifier stored in the virtual machine register.

Abstract: A system, method and apparatus to facilitate data exchange via pointers. For example, in a computing system having a first processor and a second processor that is separate and independent from the first processor, the first processor can run a program configured to use a pointer identifying a virtual memory address having an ID of an object and an offset within the object. The first processor can use the virtual memory address to store data at a memory location in the computing system and/or identify a routine at the memory location for execution by the second processor. After the pointer is communicated from the first processor to the second processor, the second processor can access the same memory location identified by the virtual memory address. The second processor may operate on the data stored at the memory location or load the routine from the memory location for execution.

Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods related to a computer system having a page table entry containing permission bits for predefined types of memory accesses made by executions of routines in predefined domains are described. The page table entry can be used to map a virtual memory address to a physical memory address. In response to a routine accessing the virtual memory address, a permission bit corresponding to the execution domain of the routine and a type of the memory access can be extracted from the page table entry to determine whether the memory access is to be rejected.

Abstract: A computing device, having: a processor; memory; a first cache coupled between the memory and the processor; and a second cache coupled between the memory and the processor. During speculative execution of one or more instructions, effects of the speculative execution are contained within the second cache.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are vector index registers for storing or loading indexes of true and/or false results of comparison operations in vector processors. Each of the vector index registers store multiple addresses for accessing multiple positions in operand vectors.

Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods related to a hypervisor status register in a computer processor are described. For example, a memory coupled to the computer processor can store instructions of routines of predefined, non-hierarchical domains. The computer processor can store a value in the hypervisor status register during a power up process of the computer system. The value stored in the hypervisor status register that identifies whether or not an operating hypervisor is present in the computer system. The computer processor can configure its operations (e.g., address translation) based on the value stored in the hypervisor status register.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatuses related to re-order buffers and for protection from timing-based security attacks are described. A processor may have functional units configured to execute instructions out of order, a re-order buffer configured to buffer the execution results of instructions for output in order, and a controller configured to randomize data timing in the re-order buffer. For example, the controller can make random adjustments to the capacity of the re-order buffer in buffering and/or sorting execution results and thus randomize data timing in the re-order buffer.

Abstract: A computing device (e.g., a processor) having a plurality of branch target buffers. A first branch target buffer in the plurality of branch target buffers is used in execution of a set of instructions containing a call to a subroutine. In response to the call to the subroutine, a second branch target buffer is allocated from the plurality of branch target buffers for execution of instructions in the subroutine. The second branch target buffer is cleared before the execution of the instructions in the subroutine. The execution of the instructions in the subroutine is restricted to access the second branch target buffer and blocked from accessing branch target buffers other than the second branch target buffer.

Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods related to a virtual machine register in a computer processor are described. For example, a memory coupled to the computer processor can store instructions of routines of predefined, non-hierarchical domains. The computer processor can store, in the virtual machine register, an identifier of a virtual machine for which the processor is currently executing instructions in a current domain in the set of domains. For example, the processor can implement resource restriction/mapping and/or perform address translation for the virtual machine based on the identifier stored in the virtual machine register.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are vector index registers for storing or loading indexes of true and/or false results of conditional operations in vector processors. Each of the vector index registers store multiple addresses for accessing multiple positions in operand vectors in various types of operations.

Abstract: A cache system, having a first cache, a second cache, and a logic circuit coupled to control the first cache and the second cache according to an execution type of a processor. When an execution type of a processor is a first type indicating non-speculative execution of instructions and the first cache is configured to service commands from a command bus for accessing a memory system, the logic circuit is configured to copy a portion of content cached in the first cache to the second cache. The cache system can include a configurable data bit. The logic circuit can be coupled to control the caches according to the bit. Alternatively, the caches can include cache sets. The caches can also include registers associated with the cache sets respectively. The logic circuit can be coupled to control the cache sets according to the registers.

Abstract: A cache system, having: a first cache set; a second cache set; and a logic circuit coupled to a processor to control the caches based on at least respective first and second registers. When a connection to an address bus receives a memory address from the processor, the logic circuit is configured to: generate a set index from at least the address; and determine whether the generated set index matches with a content stored in the first register or with a content stored in the second register. And, the logic circuit is configured to implement a command via the first cache set in response to the generated set index matching with the content stored in the first register and via the second cache set in response to the generated set index matching with the content stored in the second register.

Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods related to a computer system having a page table entry containing permission bits for predefined types of memory accesses made by executions of routines in predefined domains are described. The page table entry can be used to map a virtual memory address to a physical memory address. In response to a routine accessing the virtual memory address, a permission bit corresponding to the execution domain of the routine and a type of the memory access can be extracted from the page table entry to determine whether the memory access is to be rejected.

Abstract: A cache system having cache sets, registers associated with the cache sets respectively, and a logic circuit coupled to a processor to control the cache sets according to the registers. When a connection to an address bus of the system receives a memory address from the processor, the logic circuit can be configured to: generate an extended tag from at least the memory address; and determine whether the generated extended tag matches with a first extended tag for a first cache set or a second extended tag for a second cache set of the system. Also, the logic circuit can also be configured to implement a command received from the processor via the first cache set in response to the generated extended tag matching with the first extended tag and via the second cache set in response to the generated extended tag matching with the second extended tag.

Abstract: A computing device, having: a processor; memory; a first cache coupled between the memory and the processor; and a second cache coupled between the memory and the processor. During speculative execution of one or more instructions, effects of the speculative execution are contained within the second cache.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are vector index registers in vector processors that each store multiple addresses for accessing multiple positions in vectors. It is known to use scalar index registers in vector processors to access multiple positions of vectors by changing the scalar index registers in vector operations. By using a vector indexing register for indexing positions of one or more operand vectors, the scalar index register can be replaced and at least the continual changing of the scalar index register can be avoided.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are vector index registers for storing or loading indexes of true and/or false results of conditional operations using multiple lane processing in vector processors. Each of the vector index registers store multiple addresses for accessing multiple positions in operand vectors in various types of operations that can leverage multi-lane processing.