Abstract: Software instructions are executed on a processor within a computer system to configure a steaming engine with stream parameters to define a multidimensional array. The stream parameters define a size for each dimension of the multidimensional array and a specified width for two selected dimensions of the array. Data is fetched from a memory coupled to the streaming engine responsive to the stream parameters. A stream of vectors is formed for the multidimensional array responsive to the stream parameters from the data fetched from memory. When either selected dimension in the stream of vectors exceeds a respective specified width, the streaming engine inserts null elements into each portion of a respective vector for the selected dimension that exceeds the specified width in the stream of vectors. Stream vectors that are completely null are formed by the streaming engine without accessing the system memory for respective data.

Abstract: Software instructions are executed on a processor within a computer system to configure a steaming engine with stream parameters to define a multidimensional array. The stream parameters define a size for each dimension of the multidimensional array and a pad value indicator. Data is fetched from a memory coupled to the streaming engine responsive to the stream parameters. A stream of vectors is formed for the multidimensional array responsive to the stream parameters from the data fetched from memory. A padded stream vector is formed that includes a specified pad value without accessing the pad value from system memory.

Abstract: Software instructions are executed on a processor within a computer system to configure a steaming engine with stream parameters to define a multidimensional array. The stream parameters define a size for each dimension of the multidimensional array, a null vector count (N), and a selected dimension. Data is fetched from a memory coupled to the streaming engine responsive to the stream parameters. A stream of vectors is formed for the multidimensional array responsive to the stream parameters from the data fetched from memory. N null stream vectors are inserted into the stream of vectors for the selected dimension without fetching respective null data from the memory.

Abstract: One embodiment of this invention provides two conditional execution auxiliary instructions directed to disparate subsets of the plural functional units. Depending on the conditional execution desired, only one of the two conditional execution auxiliary instructions may be required for a particular execute packet. Another embodiment of this invention employs only one of two possible register files for the condition registers. In a VLIW processor it may be advantageous to split the functional units into separate sets with corresponding register files. This limits the number of functional units that may simultaneously access the register files. In the preferred embodiment of this invention the functional units are divided into a scalar set which access scalar registers and a vector set which access vector registers. The data registers storing the conditions for both scalar and vector instructions are in the scalar data register file.

Abstract: A steaming engine in a system receives a first set of stream parameters into a queue to define a first stream along with an indication of either a queue mode of operation or a speculative mode of operation for the first stream. Acquisition of the first stream then begins. At some point, a second set of stream parameters is received into the queue to define a second stream. When the queue mode of operation was specified for the first stream, the second set of parameters is queued and acquisition of the second stream is delayed until completion of acquisition of the first stream. When the speculative mode of operation was specified for the first stream, acquisition of the first stream is canceled upon receipt of the second set of stream parameters and acquisition of the second stream begins immediately.

Abstract: In one disclosed embodiment, a processor includes a first execution unit and a second execution unit, a register file, and a data path including a plurality of lanes. The data path and the register file are arranged so that writing to the register file by the first execution unit and by the second execution unit is allowed over the data path, reading from the register file by the first execution unit is allowed over the data path, and reading from the register file by the second execution unit is not allowed over the data path. The processor also includes a power control circuit configured to, when a transfer of data between the register file and either of the first and second execution units uses less than all of the lanes, power down the lanes of the data path not used for the transfer of the data.

Abstract: A stream of data is accessed from a memory system using a stream of addresses generated in a first mode of operating a streaming engine in response to executing a first stream instruction. A block cache management operation is performed on a cache in the memory using a block of addresses generated in a second mode of operating the streaming engine in response to executing a second stream instruction.

Abstract: A stream of data is accessed from a memory system using a stream of addresses generated in a first mode of operating a streaming engine in response to executing a first stream instruction. A block cache preload operation is performed on a cache in the memory using a block of addresses generated in a second mode of operating the streaming engine in response to executing a second stream instruction.

Abstract: A method is shown that is operable to transform and align a plurality of fields from an input to an output data stream using a multilayer butterfly or inverse butterfly network. Many transformations are possible with such a network which may include separate control of each multiplexer. This invention supports a limited set of multiplexer control signals, which enables a similarly limited set of data transformations. This limited capability is offset by the reduced complexity of the multiplexor control circuits.

Abstract: The vector data path is divided into smaller vector lanes. The number of active vector lanes is controllable on the fly by the programmer to match the requirements of the executing program, and inactive vector lanes are powered down by the CPU to increase power efficiency of the vector processor.

Abstract: The number of registers required is reduced by overlapping scalar and vector registers. This allows increased compiler flexibility when mixing scalar and vector instructions. Local register read ports are reduced by restricting read access. Dedicated predicate registers reduce requirements for general registers, and allows reduction of critical timing paths by allowing the predicate registers to be placed next to the predicate unit.

Abstract: A method for performing a fundamental computational primitive in a device is provided, where the device includes a processor and a matrix multiplication accelerator (MMA). The method includes configuring a streaming engine in the device to stream data for the fundamental computational primitive from memory, configuring the MMA to format the data, and executing the fundamental computational primitive by the device.

Abstract: A reconfigurable matrix multiplier (RMM) system/method allowing tight or loose coupling to supervisory control processor application control logic (ACL) in a system-on-a-chip (SOC) environment is disclosed. The RMM provides for C=A*B matrix multiplication operations having A-multiplier-matrix (AMM), B-multiplicand-matrix (BMM), and C-product-matrix (CPM), as well as C=A*B+D operations in which D-summation-matrix (DSM) represents the result of a previous multiplication operation or another previously defined matrix. The RMM provides for additional CPM LOAD/STORE paths allowing overlapping of compute/data transfer operations and provides for CPM data feedback to the AMM or BMM operand inputs from a previously calculated CPM result.

Abstract: The number of registers required is reduced by overlapping scalar and vector registers. This also allows increased compiler flexibility when mixing scalar and vector instructions. Local register read ports are minimized by restricting read access. Dedicated predicate registers reduces requirements for general registers, and allows reduction of critical timing paths by allowing the predicate registers to be placed next to the predicate unit.

Abstract: The vector data path is divided into smaller vector lanes. A register such as a memory mapped control register stores a vector lane number (VLX) indicating the number of vector lanes to be powered. A decoder converts this VLX into a vector lane control word, each bit controlling the ON of OFF state of the corresponding vector lane. This number of contiguous least significant vector lanes are powered. In the preferred embodiment the stored data VLX indicates that 2VLX contiguous least significant vector lanes are to be powered. Thus the number of vector lanes powered is limited to an integral power of 2. This manner of coding produces a very compact controlling bit field while obtaining substantially all the power saving advantage of individually controlling the power of all vector lanes.

Abstract: In a very long instruction word (VLIW) central processing unit instructions are grouped into execute packets that execute in parallel. A constant may be specified or extended by bits in a constant extension instruction in the same execute packet. If an instruction includes an indication of constant extension, the decoder employs bits of a constant extension instruction to extend the constant of an immediate field. Two or more constant extension slots are permitted in each execute packet, each extending constants for a different predetermined subset of functional unit instructions. In an alternative embodiment, more than one functional unit may have constants extended from the same constant extension instruction employing the same extended bits. A long extended constant may be formed using the extension bits of two constant extension instructions.

Abstract: One embodiment of this invention provides two conditional execution auxiliary instructions directed to disparate subsets of the plural functional units. Depending on the conditional execution desired, only one of the two conditional execution auxiliary instructions may be required for a particular execute packet. Another embodiment of this invention employs only one of two possible register files for the condition registers. In a VLIW processor it may be advantageous to split the functional units into separate sets with corresponding register files. This limits the number of functional units that may simultaneously access the register files. In the preferred embodiment of this invention the functional units are divided into a scalar set which access scalar registers and a vector set which access vector registers. The data registers storing the conditions for both scalar and vector instructions are in the scalar data register file.

Abstract: This invention is a digital signal processor capable of performing correlation of data with pseudo noise for code division multiple access (CDMA) decoding using clusters. Each cluster includes plural multipliers. The multipliers multiply real and imaginary parts of packed data by corresponding pseudo noise data. Within a cluster the real parts and the imaginary parts of the products are summed separately. This forms plural complex number outputs equal in number to the number of clusters. The pseudo noise data is offset relative to the data input differing amounts for different clusters. The clusters are divided into first half clusters receiving data from even numbered slots and second half clusters receiving data from odd numbered slots. The correlation unit includes a mask input to selectively zero a multiplier product.

Abstract: A Very Long Instruction Word (VLIW) digital signal processor particularly adapted for single instruction multiple data (SIMD) operation on various operand widths and data sizes. A vector compare instruction compares first and second operands and stores compare bits. A companion vector conditional instruction performs conditional operations based upon the state of a corresponding predicate data register bit. A predicate unit performs data processing operations on data in at least one predicate data register including unary operations and binary operations. The predicate unit may also transfer data between a general data register file and the predicate data register file.

Abstract: An embedded megamodule and an embedded CPU enable power-saving through a combination of hardware and software. The CPU configures the power-down controller (PDC) logic within megamodule and can software trigger a low-power state of logic modules during processor IDLE periods. To wake from this power-down state, a system event is asserted to the CPU through the module interrupt controller. Thus the entry into a low-power state is software-driven during periods of inactivity and power restoration is on system activity that demands the attention of the CPU.