Abstract: An apparatus providing for a secure execution environment is presented. The apparatus includes a microprocessor and a secure non-volatile memory. The microprocessor is configured to execute non-secure application programs and a secure application program, where the non-secure application programs are accessed from a system memory via a system bus, and where the secure application program is executed in a secure execution mode. The microprocessor has secure execution mode logic that is configured to monitor instructions within the secure application program, and that is configured to preclude execution of certain instructions. The secure non-volatile memory is coupled to the microprocessor via a private bus, and is configured to store the secure application program, where transactions over the private bus between the microprocessor and the secure non-volatile memory are isolated from the system bus and corresponding system bus resources within the microprocessor.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are directed to apparatuses and kits for providing palliative care. An exemplary apparatus comprises an elongate hollow shaft having a first and a second end. An absorbent material may be attached to the first end and the first end may be perforated such that the elongate hollow shaft may be filled with one or more liquid solutions that flow through the perforated end and disperse evenly throughout the absorbent material. A kit may additionally be provided for providing customized palliative care. The kit may comprise a means for injecting one or more liquid solutions into the elongate shaft. The kit may additionally comprise apparatuses that are prefilled with one or more liquid solutions.

Abstract: A microprocessor includes an instruction translation unit that extracts condition information from the IT instruction and fuses the IT instruction with the first IT block instruction. For each instruction of the IT block, the instruction translation unit: determines a respective condition for the IT block instruction using the condition information extracted from the IT instruction and translates the IT block instruction into a microinstruction. The microinstruction includes the respective condition. Execution units conditionally execute the microinstruction based on the respective condition. For each IT block instruction, the instruction translation unit determines a respective state value using the extracted condition information. The state value comprises the lower eight bits of the IT instruction having the lower five bits left-shifted by N-1 bits, where N indicates a position of the IT block instruction in the IT block.

Abstract: A microprocessor includes an architected register having a bit. The microprocessor sets the bit. The microprocessor also includes a fetch unit that fetches encrypted instructions from an instruction cache and decrypts them prior to executing them, in response to the microprocessor setting the bit. The microprocessor saves the value of the bit to a stack in memory and then clears the bit, in response to receiving an interrupt. The fetch unit fetches unencrypted instructions from the instruction cache and executes them without decrypting them, after the microprocessor clears the bit. The microprocessor restores the saved value from the stack in memory to the bit in the architected register, in response to executing a return from interrupt instruction. The fetch unit resumes fetching and decrypting the encrypted instructions, in response to determining that the restored value of the bit is set.

Abstract: A microprocessor is provided with a method for decrypting encrypted instruction data into plain text instruction data and securely executing the same. The microprocessor includes a master key register file comprising a plurality of master keys. Selection logic circuitry in the microprocessor selects a combination of at least two of the plurality of master keys. Key expansion circuitry in the microprocessor performs mathematical operations on the selected master keys to generate a decryption key having a long effective key length. Instruction decryption circuitry performs an efficient mathematical operation on the encrypted instruction data and the decryption key to decrypt the encrypted instruction data into plain text instruction data.

Abstract: An out-of-order execution microprocessor executes an architectural segment register-loading instruction that instructs the microprocessor to load a new value into an architectural segment register of the microprocessor. A comparator compares the new value specified by the architectural segment register-loading instruction with a current contents of the architectural segment register. A control unit causes to be re-executed using the new value all instructions in the microprocessor that used the current architectural segment register contents as a source operand and that are newer in program order than the architectural segment register-loading instruction whenever the comparator indicates the new value does not equal the current contents.

Abstract: A microprocessor includes a hardware instruction translator that translates x86 ISA and ARM ISA machine language program instructions into microinstructions, which are encoded in a distinct manner from the x86 and ARM instructions. An execution pipeline executes the microinstructions to generate x86/ARM-defined results. The microinstructions are distinct from the results generated by the execution of the microinstructions by the execution pipeline. The translator directly provides the microinstructions to the execution pipeline for execution. Each time the microprocessor performs one of the x86 ISA and ARM ISA instructions, the translator translates it into the microinstructions. An indicator indicates either x86 or ARM as a boot ISA. After reset, the microprocessor initializes its architectural state, fetches its first instructions from a reset address, and translates them all as defined by the boot ISA. An instruction cache caches the x86 and ARM instructions and provides them to the translator.

Abstract: A microprocessor includes a hardware instruction translator that translates an architectural instruction into first and second microinstructions. To execute the first microinstruction, an execution pipeline performs the shift operation on the first source operand to generate the first result and a carry flag value and updates a non-architectural carry flag with the generated carry flag value. To execute the second microinstruction, it performs the second operation on the first result and the second operand to generate the second result and new condition flag values based on the second result. If a architectural condition flags satisfy the condition, it updates the architectural carry flag with the non-architectural carry flag value and updates at least one of the other architectural condition flags with the corresponding generated new condition flag values; otherwise, it updates the architectural condition flags with the current value of the architectural condition flags.

Abstract: A microprocessor receives first and second program-adjacent macroinstructions of the microprocessor instruction set architecture. The first macroinstruction loads an operand from a location in memory, performs an arithmetic/logic operation using the loaded operand to generate a result, and stores the result back to the memory location. The second macroinstruction jumps to a target address if condition codes satisfy a specified condition and otherwise executes the next sequential instruction. An instruction translator simultaneously translates the first and second program-adjacent macroinstructions into first, second, and third micro-operations for execution by execution units. The first micro-operation calculates the memory location address and loads the operand therefrom.

Abstract: A microprocessor includes a plurality of processing cores each comprises a corresponding memory physically located inside the core and readable by the core but not readable by the other cores (“core memory”). The microprocessor also includes a memory physically located outside all of the cores and readable by all of the cores (“uncore memory”). For each core, the uncore memory and corresponding core memory collectively provide M words of storage for microcode instructions fetchable by the core as follows: the uncore memory provides J of the M words of microcode instruction storage, and the corresponding core memory provides K of the M words of microcode instruction storage. J, K and M are counting numbers, and M=J+K. The memories are non-architecturally-visible and accessed using a fetch address provided by a non-architectural program counter, and the microcode instructions are non-architectural instructions that implement architectural instructions.

Abstract: A processor includes first and second processing cores configured to support first and second respective subsets of features of its instruction set architecture (ISA) feature set. The first subset is less than all the features of the ISA feature set. The first and second subsets are different but their union is all the features of the ISA feature set. The first core detects a thread, while being executed by the first core rather than by the second core, attempted to employ a feature not in the first subset and, in response, to indicate a switch from the first core to the second core to execute the thread. The unsupported feature may be an unsupported instruction or operating mode. A switch may also be made if the lower performance/power core is being over-utilized or the higher performance/power core is being under-utilized.

Abstract: An apparatus for generating a decryption key for use to decrypt a block of encrypted instruction data being fetched from an instruction cache in a microprocessor at a fetch address includes a first multiplexer that selects a first key value from a plurality of key values based on a first portion of the fetch address. A second multiplexer selects a second key value from the plurality of key values based on the first portion of the fetch address. A rotater rotates the first key value based on a second portion of the fetch address. An arithmetic unit selectively adds or subtracts the rotated first key value to or from the second key value based on a third portion of the fetch address to generate the decryption key.

Abstract: A microprocessor receives first, second, and third program-adjacent macroinstructions. The first macroinstruction moves a first operand to a first register from a second register. The second macroinstruction performs an arithmetic/logic operation using the first operand in the second register and a second operand in a third register to generate a result, loads the result back into the first register, and updates condition codes based on the result. The third macroinstruction conditionally jumps to a target address. An instruction translator simultaneously translates the first, second, and third program-adjacent macroinstructions into a single micro-operation for execution by an execution unit. The micro-operation performs the arithmetic/logic operation using the first operand in the second register and the second operand in third register to generate the result, loads the result back into the first register, updates the condition codes based on the result, and conditionally jumps to the target address.

Abstract: A microprocessor receives first and second program-adjacent macroinstructions of the instruction set architecture of the microprocessor. The first macroinstruction instructs the microprocessor to move a first operand to a first architectural register from a second architectural register. The second macroinstruction instructs the microprocessor to perform an arithmetic/logic operation using the first operand in the second architectural register and a second operand in a third architectural register to generate a result and to load the result back into the first architectural register. An instruction translator simultaneously translates the first and second program-adjacent macroinstructions into a single micro-operation for execution by an execution unit.

Abstract: An apparatus providing for a secure execution environment. The apparatus includes a microprocessor that is configured to execute non-secure application programs and a secure application program, where the non-secure application programs are accessed from a system memory via a system bus. The microprocessor has a non-secure memory and a secure volatile memory. The non-secure memory is configured to store portions of the non-secure application programs for execution by the microprocessor, where the non-secure memory is observable and accessible by the non-secure application programs and by system bus resources within the microprocessor. The secure volatile memory is configured to store the secure application program for execution by the microprocessor, where the secure volatile memory is isolated from the non-secure application programs and the system bus resources within the microprocessor. The secure application program is decrypted using a processor unique key and is written to the secure volatile memory.

Abstract: An apparatus including a microprocessor and a secure non-volatile memory. The microprocessor executes non-secure application programs and a secure application program. The non-secure application programs are accessed from a system memory via a system bus, and the secure application program is executed in a secure execution mode. The microprocessor has a watchdog manager that monitors environments of the microprocessor by noting and evaluating data communicated by a plurality of monitors, and that classifies the data to indicate a security level associated with execution of the secure application program, and that directs secure execution mode logic to perform responsive actions in accordance with the security level. The secure non-volatile memory is coupled to the microprocessor via a private bus, and stores the secure application program. The secure application program is encrypted.

Abstract: An apparatus including a microprocessor, a system memory, and a secure non-volatile memory. The microprocessor is mounted to a motherboard, and executes non-secure application programs and a secure application program. The system memory stores non-secure application programs, and is mounted to the motherboard and coupled to the microprocessor via a system bus. The microprocessor has secure execution mode logic that detects execution of a secure execution mode return event, and that terminates a secure execution mode within the microprocessor, where the secure execution mode exclusively supports execution of the secure application program. The secure non-volatile memory is coupled to the microprocessor via a private bus and stores the secure application program prior to termination of the secure execution mode, where transactions over the private bus between the microprocessor and the secure non-volatile memory are isolated from the system bus and corresponding system bus resources within the microprocessor.

Abstract: A microprocessor includes a model specific register (MSR) having an address, fuses manufactured with a first predetermined value, and a control register. The microprocessor initially loads the first predetermined value from fuses into the control register. The microprocessor also receives a second predetermined value into the control register from system software of a computer system comprising the microprocessor subsequent to initially loading the first predetermined value into the control register. The microprocessor prohibits access to the MSR by an instruction that provides a first password generated by encrypting a function of the first predetermined value and the MSR address with a secret key manufactured into the first instance of the microprocessor and enables access to the MSR by an instruction that provides a second password generated by encrypting the function of the second predetermined value and the MSR address with the secret key.

Abstract: A method for encrypting a program for subsequent execution by a microprocessor configured to decrypt and execute the encrypted program includes receiving an object file specifying an unencrypted program that includes conventional branch instructions whose target address may be determined pre-run time. The method also includes analyzing the program to obtain chunk information that divides the program into a sequence of chunks each comprising a sequence of instructions and that includes encryption key data associated with each of the chunks. The encryption key data associated with each of the chunks is distinct. The method also includes replacing each of the conventional branch instructions that specifies a target address that is within a different chunk than the chunk in which the conventional branch instruction resides with a branch and switch key instruction. The method also includes encrypting the program based on the chunk information.

Abstract: A microprocessor includes an architected register having a bit. The microprocessor sets the bit. The microprocessor also includes a fetch unit that fetches encrypted instructions from an instruction cache and decrypts them prior to executing them, in response to the microprocessor setting the bit. The microprocessor saves the value of the bit to a stack in memory and then clears the bit, in response to receiving an interrupt. The fetch unit fetches unencrypted instructions from the instruction cache and executes them without decrypting them, after the microprocessor clears the bit. The microprocessor restores the saved value from the stack in memory to the bit in the architected register, in response to executing a return from interrupt instruction. The fetch unit resumes fetching and decrypting the encrypted instructions, in response to determining that the restored value of the bit is set.