Abstract: In some implementations, a processor includes a plurality of parallel instruction pipes, a register file includes at least one shared read port configured to be shared across multiple pipes of the plurality of parallel instruction pipes. Control logic controls multiple parallel instruction pipes to read from the at least one shared read port. In certain examples, the at least one shared register file read port is coupled as a single read port for one of the parallel instruction pipes and as a shared register file read port for a plurality of other parallel instruction pipes.

Abstract: An apparatus has memory management circuitry to control access to a memory system based on access control information defined in table entries of a table structure comprising at least two levels of access control table. Table accessing circuitry accesses the table structure to obtain the access control information corresponding to a target address. For a given access control table at a given level of the table structure other than a starting level, the table accessing circuitry selects a selected table entry of the given access control table corresponding to the target address, based on an offset portion of the target address. A size of the offset portion is selected based on a variable nesting control parameter specified in a table entry of a higher-level access control table at a higher level of the table structure than the given access control table.

Abstract: There is provided a data processing apparatus comprising a plurality of registers, each of the registers having data bits to store data and metadata bits to store metadata. Each of the registers is adapted to operate in a metadata mode in which the metadata bits and the data bits are valid, and a data mode in which the data bits are valid and the metadata bits are invalid. Mode bit storage circuitry indicates whether each of the registers is in the data mode or the metadata mode. Execution circuitry is responsive to a memory operation that is a store operation on one or more given registers.

Abstract: A system and method for random-access manipulation of compacted data files, utilizing a reference codebook, a random-access engine, a data deconstruction engine, and a data deconstruction engine. The system may receive a data query pertaining to a data read or data write request, wherein the data file to be read from or written to is a compacted data file. A random-access engine may facilitate data manipulation processes by accessing a reference codebook associated with the compacted data file, a frequency table used to construct the reference codebook, and data query details. A data read request is supported by random-access search capabilities that may enable the locating and decoding of the bits corresponding to data query details. A random-access engine facilitates data write processes. The random-access engine may encode the data to be written, insert the encoded data into a compacted data file, and update the codebook as needed.

Abstract: An open loop cashless payment system incents a consumer account holder to transact in a physical store with a merchant who agrees to make an auditable donation to a charity when the transaction is conducted on an account issued to the consumer account holder. The consumer account holder may direct the donation to a specific charity within a predetermined geographically determined community where the transaction was physically conducted. The consumer account holder can register an obligation to make a donation matching that of the merchant, where the consumer account holder's donation is initially paid by the consumer account's issuer for reimbursement by the consumer account holder to the issuer after the consumer account holder receives their account statement. The merchant's acquirer, the issuer, and a transaction handler for the issuer and acquirer may also make donations as directed by the consumer account holder.

Abstract: Provided is a mask operation method for an explicit independent mask register in a GPU. The method comprises: each GPU hardware thread being able to access respective eight 128-bit-wide independent mask registers, which are recorded as $m0-$m7. With regard to mask operation instructions of the explicit independent mask register in the GPU, each hardware thread in the GPU is able to access respective eight 128-bit-wide independent mask registers, and four groups of mask operation instructions are available for a user, and respectively realize a reduction operation, an extension operation and a logic operation on the mask register, and data movement between the mask register and a general vector register.

Abstract: Methods for frequency scaling for per-core accelerator assignments and associated apparatus. A processor includes a CPU (central processing unit) having multiple cores that can be selectively configured to support frequency scaling and instruction extensions. Under this approach, some cores can be configured to support a selective set of AVX instructions (such as AVX3/5G-ISA instructions) and/or AMX instructions, while other cores are configured to not support these AVX/AMX instructions. In one aspect, the selective AVX/AMX instructions are implemented in one or more ISA extension units that are separate from the main processor core (or otherwise comprises a separate block of circuitry in a processor core) that can be selectively enabled or disabled. This enables cores having the separate unit(s) disabled to consume less power and/or operate at higher frequencies, while supporting the selective AVX/AMX instructions using other cores.

Abstract: Implementations of the disclosure provide processing device comprising: an interrupt managing circuit to receive an interrupt message directed to an application container from an assignable interface (AI) of an input/output (I/O) device. The interrupt message comprises an address space identifier (ASID), an interrupt handle and a flag to distinguish the interrupt message from a direct memory access (DMA) message. Responsive to receiving the interrupt message, a data structure associated with the interrupt managing circuit is identified. An interrupt entry from the data structure is selected based on the interrupt handle. It is determined that the ASID associated with the interrupt message matches an ASID in the interrupt entry. Thereupon, an interrupt in the interrupt entry is forwarded to the application container.

Abstract: A storage system includes: a memory controller which provides a clock signal; a buffer which receives the clock signal and re-drives the clock signal, the buffer including a sampler which receives a data signal and a data strobe signal regarding the data signal, and which outputs a data stream; and a nonvolatile memory, including: a first duty cycle corrector, which receives the clock signal outputs a corrected clock signal by performing a first duty correction operation on the clock signal; and a data strobe signal generator, which generates the data strobe signal based on the corrected clock signal and provides the data strobe signal to the buffer. The buffer receives the data strobe signal output from the nonvolatile memory, senses a duty ratio of the data strobe signal input to the sampler, and performs a second duty correction operation on the duty ratio of the input data strobe signal.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes an extracting unit that extracts, based on attribute information of an object necessary for using a service provided by a service system and information related to a user of the service system, a candidate for the user to be invited to the service, out of users who are yet to use the service.

Abstract: Methods and systems disclosed herein describe obfuscating plaintext cryptographic material stored in memory. A random location in an obfuscation buffer may be selected for each byte of the plaintext cryptographic material. The location of each byte of the plaintext cryptographic material may be stored in a position tracking buffer. To recover the scrambled plaintext cryptographic material, the location of each byte of the plaintext cryptographic material may be read from the position tracking buffer. Each byte of the plaintext cryptographic material may then be read from the obfuscation buffer and written to a temporary buffer. When each byte of the plaintext cryptographic material is recovered, the plaintext cryptographic material may be used to perform one or more cryptographic operations. The scrambling techniques described herein reduce the likelihood of a malicious user recovering plaintext cryptographic material while stored in memory.

Abstract: Memory access control circuitry controls handling of a memory access request based on at least one memory access control attribute associated with a region of address space including the target address. The memory access control circuitry comprises: lookup circuitry comprising a plurality of sets of comparison circuitry, each set of comparison circuitry to detect, based on at least one address-region-indicating parameter associated with a corresponding region of address space, whether the target address is within the corresponding region of address space; region mismatch prediction circuitry to provide a region mismatch prediction indicative of which of the sets of comparison circuitry is predicted to detect a region mismatch condition; and comparison disabling circuitry to disable at least one of the sets of comparison circuitry that is predicted by the region mismatch prediction circuitry to detect the region mismatch condition for the target address.

Abstract: A quantum decoder receives a syndrome from a quantum measurement circuit and performs various decoding operations for processing-efficient fault detection. The decoding operations include generating a decoding graph from the syndrome and growing a cluster around each one of multiple check nodes in the graph that correspond to a non-trivial value in the syndrome. Each cluster includes the check node corresponding to the non-trivial value and a set of neighboring nodes positioned within a distance of d edge-lengths from the check node. Following cluster growth, the decoder determines if, for each cluster, there exists a solution set internal to the cluster that fully explains the non-trivial syndrome bit for the cluster. If so, the decoder identifies and returns at least one solution set that fully explains the set of non-trivial bits in the syndrome.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for dynamic logical page sizes for memory devices are described. A memory device may use an initial set of logical pages each having a same size and one or more logical-to-physical (L2P) tables to map logical addresses of the logical pages to the physical addresses of corresponding physical pages. As commands are received from a host device, the memory device may dynamically split a logical page to introduce smaller logic pages if the host device accesses data in chunk sizes smaller than the size of the logical page that is split. The memory device may maintain one or more additional L2P tables for each smaller logical page size that is introduced, along with one or more pointer tables to map between L2P tables and entries for larger logical page sizes and L2P tables and entries associated with smaller logical page sizes.

Abstract: A software-defined radio system may include a radio frequency front end connected to a high performance computing processor comprised of a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), and a shared memory between the CPU and GPU. The software-defined radio system may incorporate a signal processing unit between the radio frequency front end and the high performance computing processor. Additionally, the software-defined radio system may be configured to create a ring buffer in a shared memory between the CPU and GPU and directly store digital signal data in the ring buffer. The software-defined radio system may be used to implement and train machine learning algorithms and transmit digital signals.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and techniques for data compression. A cluster fingerprint of an uncompressed data block is determined to correspond to a cluster fingerprint of a base block stored in a base array. This determining involves looking up the cluster fingerprint of the first base block from the base array using the cluster fingerprint of the first uncompressed data block. The difference between the uncompressed data block and the base block is determined, and a compressed data block is encoded using this difference. The compressed data block is then stored in a data array.

Abstract: Short pointers are used for more efficient utilization of random access memory (RAM) in resource-constrained embedded systems. Such a system includes a processor having an address space; and a RAM that stores variables used by the processor, including pointer variables. The processor has X-bit architecture, and a standard C/C++ (native) pointer variable occupies X bits in RAM. In such a system, select pointers are stored in RAM in a form of short pointer variables as respective Y-bit segments, instead of as standard C/C++ pointer variables that would be stored as X-bit segments, where Y is less than X. Select short pointers are converted to respective native pointers to perform an operation in the memory system for which pointers are used. After the operation is performed, each native pointer is converted back to the corresponding short pointer and stored in the RAM.

Abstract: A machine instruction is provided that includes an opcode field to provide an opcode, the opcode to identify a perform pseudorandom number operation, and a register field to be used to identify a register, the register to specify a location in memory of a first operand to be used. The machine instruction is executed, and execution includes for each block of memory of one or more blocks of memory of the first operand, generating a hash value using a 512 bit secure hash technique and at least one seed value of a parameter block of the machine instruction; and storing at least a portion of the generated hash value in a corresponding block of memory of the first operand, the generated hash value being at least a portion of a pseudorandom number.

Abstract: In one aspect, the invention is directed to a method of expanding storage for filesystems in a fine-grained, scalable manner. The method includes determining, by a file server, a run bias for a span, wherein the run bias indicates a number of contiguous chunks of memory associated with an entry in an address translation table for a filesystem. The method includes receiving, by the file server, a request for an expansion of memory for the filesystem. The method includes scoring, by the chunk allocator, each stripe set in a group of stripe sets based at least in part on a number of unused chunks on the stripeset and a number of chunks on the stripeset being used by the filesystem. The method includes allocating, by the chunk allocator, a chunk on the stripeset with the highest score, wherein the allocated chunk lies outside of runs reserved for other filesystems.

Abstract: An apparatus includes an arithmetic circuit that performs a pipeline operation on first data as an input; and a determination circuit that determines, based on pipeline operation results, whether to perform the pipeline operation by inputting, to the arithmetic circuit, second data different from the first data, wherein when the determination circuit has determined that the pipeline operation is to be performed by inputting the second data to the arithmetic circuit, the arithmetic circuit suspends the pipeline operation using the second data thereof, and performs the pipeline operation with the first data input until the second data is input, and when the second data is input, the arithmetic circuit resumes the pipeline operation using the second data.

Abstract: An instruction architecturally defined to be a looping instruction, in which a loop is configured to repeat a plurality of times to perform an operation on up to a defined number of units of data, is to be processed. The processing includes replicating a selected character a number of times to provide a replicated selected character, and using a sequence of operations to perform the operation, the sequence of operations replacing the loop and providing a non-looping sequence to perform the operation on up to the defined number of units of data. The sequence of operations is configured to repeat one or more times, and to terminate based on the replicated selected character.

Abstract: Instructions and logic provide advanced paging capabilities for secure enclave page caches. Embodiments include multiple hardware threads or processing cores, a cache to store secure data for a shared page address allocated to a secure enclave accessible by the hardware threads. A decode stage decodes a first instruction specifying said shared page address as an operand, and execution units mark an entry corresponding to an enclave page cache mapping for the shared page address to block creation of a new translation for either of said first or second hardware threads to access the shared page. A second instruction is decoded for execution, the second instruction specifying said secure enclave as an operand, and execution units record hardware threads currently accessing secure data in the enclave page cache corresponding to the secure enclave, and decrement the recorded number of hardware threads when any of the hardware threads exits the secure enclave.

Abstract: Short pointer mode applications are able to execute in long pointer mode environments. A plurality of actions is performed to prepare a short pointer mode application for execution in the long pointer mode environment. These actions include allocating memory for one or more in-memory short pointers of the application. The memory being allocated for an in-memory short pointer is of a size corresponding to a size of the in-memory short pointer. Further, a register is allocated for an in-register short pointer of the application. The register is allocated at a size corresponding to a long pointer mode. The size corresponding to the long pointer mode is different from the size of the in-memory short pointer.

Abstract: Short pointer mode applications are able to execute in long pointer mode environments. A plurality of actions is performed to prepare a short pointer mode application for execution in the long pointer mode environment. These actions include allocating memory for one or more in-memory short pointers of the application. The memory being allocated for an in-memory short pointer is of a size corresponding to a size of the in-memory short pointer. Further, a register is allocated for an in-register short pointer of the application. The register is allocated at a size corresponding to a long pointer mode. The size corresponding to the long pointer mode is different from the size of the in-memory short pointer.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product for providing consolidated access to data of a plurality of source databases. Tables of each of the source databases are replicated to a shared accelerator. The source DBMSs are configured to dispatch queries to the accelerator for accelerating query execution. The accelerator is configured such that the replicated tables can only be accessed by the source DBMS having provided said tables for executing a dispatched query. A user can select one of the source DBMSs to act as a consolidated DBMS—C-DBMS. The C-DBMS provides the consolidated access. The user is enabled to select tables managed by another one of the DBMSs. In response to receiving the selection of the tables, the accelerator is re-configuring such that the C-DBMS is granted access also to the copies of the selected tables in the accelerator.

Abstract: Instructions and logic provide atomic range operations in a multiprocessing system. In one embodiment an atomic range modification instruction specifies an address for a set of range indices. The instruction locks access to the set of range indices and loads the range indices to check the range size. The range size is compared with a size sufficient to perform the range modification. If the range size is sufficient to perform the range modification, the range modification is performed and one or more modified range indices of the set of range indices is stored back to memory. Otherwise an error signal is set when the range size is not sufficient to perform said range modification. Access to the set of range indices is unlocked responsive to completion of the atomic range modification instruction. Embodiments may include atomic increment next instructions, add next instructions, decrement end instructions, and/or subtract end instructions.

Abstract: Apparatus, systems, methods, and computer program products for providing dynamically assignable data latches are disclosed. A non-volatile memory die includes a non-volatile memory medium. A plurality of sets of data latches of a non-volatile memory die are configured to facilitate transmission of data to and from a non-volatile memory medium, and each of the sets of data latches are associated with a different identifier. An on-die controller is in communication with a sets of data latches. An on-die controller is configured to receive a first command for a first memory operation comprising a selected identifier. An on-die controller is configured to execute a first memory operation on a non-volatile memory medium using a set of data latches of a plurality of sets of data latches, and the set of data latches is associated with a selected identifier.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product for providing consolidated access to data of a plurality of source databases. Tables of each of the source databases are replicated to a shared accelerator. The source DBMSs are configured to dispatch queries to the accelerator for accelerating query execution. The accelerator is configured such that the replicated tables can only be accessed by the source DBMS having provided said tables for executing a dispatched query. A user can select one of the source DBMSs to act as a consolidated DBMS—C-DBMS. The C-DBMS provides the consolidated access. The user is enabled to select tables managed by another one of the DBMSs. In response to receiving the selection of the tables, the accelerator is re-configuring such that the C-DBMS is granted access also to the copies of the selected tables in the accelerator.

Abstract: Disclosed is a digital processor comprising an instruction memory having a first input, a second input, a first output, and a second output. A program counter register is in communication with the first input of the instruction memory. The program counter register is configured to store an address of an instruction to be fetched. A data pointer register is in communication with the second input of the instruction memory. The data pointer register is configured to store an address of a data value in the instruction memory. An instruction buffer is in communication with the first output of the instruction memory. The instruction buffer is arranged to receive an instruction according to a value at the program counter register. A data buffer is in communication with the second output of the instruction memory. The data buffer is arranged to receive a data value according to a value at the data pointer register.

Abstract: A variable length instruction processor system and method is provided. Before a processor core executes an instruction, the system and method applied in a processor field convert the instruction into micro-operation(s) and the micro-operation(s) can be filled into a cache system that can be directly accessed by a processor core, reducing the depth of a pipeline and improving efficiency of the pipeline.

Abstract: Recording and playback of trace log data and video log data for programs is described. In one aspect, a method for viewing log data recorded during execution of a program includes causing a display of recorded images depicting prior visual user interaction with the program during a particular time period. The method also includes causing a display of messages tracing and describing prior execution of the program during the particular time period. The display of the messages and the display of the recorded images are synchronized.

Abstract: An address range expander associated with a processor and a physical memory device determines that address transformation has been enabled with respect to an address indicated on the processor's address bus. The expander generates, using one or more address expansion parameter registers, a transformed address corresponding to the untransformed address within an address range of the physical memory device, and transmits the transformed address to a controller of the physical memory device.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing a scalable compute fabric are provided herein. The method includes determining a workflow for processing by the scalable compute fabric, wherein the workflow is based on an instruction set. A pipeline in configured dynamically for processing the workflow, and the workflow is executed using the pipeline.

Abstract: An asset management method implemented on an integrated circuit uses a keys memory storing keys, each key being associated with an asset identifier, and a data memory storing asset information. The method comprises: receiving an input command for an asset comprising an asset identifier and asset information, computing addresses to Keys memory from the asset identifier, the computing addresses comprising calculating hashes from the asset identifier, finding or allocating an entry in keys memory for the asset, based on the computed set of addresses, depending on the input command, computing a data address to the data memory for the asset from the address and position in the keys memory at which an entry has been found or allocated for the asset; reading data in the data memory at the computed data address; and executing the input command based on the data read in the data memory at the data address.

Abstract: Instructions and logic provide advanced paging capabilities for secure enclave page caches. Embodiments include multiple hardware threads or processing cores, a cache to store secure data for a shared page address allocated to a secure enclave accessible by the hardware threads. A decode stage decodes a first instruction specifying said shared page address as an operand, and execution units mark an entry corresponding to an enclave page cache mapping for the shared page address to block creation of a new translation for either of said first or second hardware threads to access the shared page. A second instruction is decoded for execution, the second instruction specifying said secure enclave as an operand, and execution units record hardware threads currently accessing secure data in the enclave page cache corresponding to the secure enclave, and decrement the recorded number of hardware threads when any of the hardware threads exits the secure enclave.

Abstract: Due to the ever expanding number of registers and new instructions in modern microprocessor cores, the address widths present in the instruction encoding continue to widen, and fewer instruction opcodes are available, making it more difficult to add new instructions to existing architectures without resorting to inelegant tricks that have drawbacks such as source destructive operations. The disclosed invention utilizes specialized decode and address calculation hardware that concatenates a fixed number of least significant bits of the instruction address onto the most significant side of each register address portion contained in the instruction, yielding the full register address, instead of providing the full register address widths for every register used in the instruction. This frees up valuable opcode space for other instructions and avoids compiler complexity. This aligns nicely with how most loops are unrolled in assembly language, where independent operations are near each other in memory.

Abstract: An asset management method implemented on an integrated circuit uses a keys memory storing keys, each key being associated with an asset identifier, and a data memory storing asset information. The method comprises: receiving an input command for an asset comprising an asset identifier and asset information, computing addresses to Keys memory from the asset identifier, the computing addresses comprising calculating hashes from the asset identifier, finding or allocating an entry in keys memory for the asset, based on the computed set of addresses, depending on the input command, computing a data address to the data memory for the asset from the address and position in the keys memory at which an entry has been found or allocated for the asset; reading data in the data memory at the computed data address; and executing the input command based on the data read in the data memory at the data address.

Abstract: A data size characteristic of contents of a related unit of data to be written to a storage by an input/output module of a data storage application can be determined, and a storage page size consistent with the data size can be selected from a plurality of storage page sizes. The related unit of data can be assigned to a storage page having the selected storage page size, and the storage page can be passed to the input/output module so that the input/output module physically clusters the contents of the related unit of data when the input/output module writes the contents of the related unit of data to the storage. Related methods, systems, and articles of manufacture are also disclosed.

Abstract: A scatter/gather technique optimizes unstructured streaming memory accesses, providing off-chip bandwidth efficiency by accessing only useful data at a fine granularity, and off-loading memory access overhead by supporting address calculation, data shuffling, and format conversion.

Abstract: A scatter/gather technique optimizes unstructured streaming memory accesses, providing off-chip bandwidth efficiency by accessing only useful data at a fine granularity, and off-loading memory access overhead by supporting address calculation, data shuffling, and format conversion.

Abstract: A method includes receiving an address at a tag state array of a cache, wherein the cache is configurable to have a first size and a second size that is smaller than the first size. The method further includes identifying a first portion of the address as a set index, wherein the first portion has a same number of bits when the cache has the first size as when the cache has the second size. The method further includes using the set index to locate at least one tag field of the tag state array, identifying a second portion of the address to compare to a value stored at the at least one tag field, locating at least one state field of the tag state array that is associated with a particular tag field that matches the second portion, identifying a cache line based on a comparison of a third portion of the address to at least one status bit of the at least one state field when the cache has the second size, and retrieving the cache line.

Abstract: Partitioning of a variable length scatter gather list including a processor for performing a method that includes requesting data from an I/O device comprising an I/O buffer. The requesting includes initiating a subchannel. The method further includes determining whether the subchannel supports data divisions by requesting SSQD data from the I/O device and inspecting at least one bit in the SSQD data. A determination is made whether the requested data includes a metadata block in response to determining that the subchannel support data divisions. Also, the subchannel is notified that the requested data includes the metadata block in response to determining that the requested data includes the metadata block. A location of storage is identified in an SBAL in response to notifying the subchannel.

Abstract: A serial flash memory and an address transmission method thereof. The serial flash memory selectively addresses a first memory space according to a first address length or addresses a second memory space according to a second address length longer than the first address length. If the first memory space is addressed according to the first address length, a first memory address is completely received within an address time duration so that data corresponding to the first memory address is initially outputted from a starting clock. In the address transmission method, if the second memory space is addressed according to the second address length, a portion of a second memory address is received within the address time duration. The other portion of the second memory address is received within a waiting time duration so that data corresponding to the second memory address is initially outputted from the starting clock.

Abstract: An information processing device according to the present invention includes an operation unit that outputs an access request, a storage unit including a plurality of connection ports and a plurality of memories capable of a simultaneous parallel process that has an access unit of a plurality of word lengths for the connection ports, and a memory access control unit that distributes a plurality access addresses corresponding to the access request received for each processing cycle from the operation unit, and generates an address in a port including a discontinuous word by one access unit for each of the connection ports.

Abstract: A system having a processor receiving a copy of a program and modifying the copy to create a modified program and a memory including a memory stack, the modified program being stored in the memory stack, wherein a first image of the memory stack storing the modified program is different from a second image of the memory stack storing the copy of the program.

Abstract: A method includes receiving an address at a tag state array of a cache. The cache is configurable to have a first size or a second size that is larger than the first size. The method includes identifying a first portion of the address as a set index and using the set index to locate at least one tag field of the tag state array. The method also includes identifying a second portion of the address to compare to a value stored at the at least one tag field and locating at least one state field of the tag state array associated with a particular tag field that matches the second portion. The method further includes identifying a cache line based on a comparison of a third portion of the address to at least two status bits of the at least one state field and retrieving the cache line.

Abstract: Divisions by numbers that are not divisible by two (2) can be performed in a computing system based on a summation that estimates and/or approximates the reciprocal of the dividing number or denominator value. By way of example, dividing by three (3) can be calculated based on a summation that approximates or estimates one third (?) represented as the sum of a selected group of the inverses of the powers of two (2) in a pattern, namely the sum of: ¼, 1/16, 1/64, 1/256, . . . ). Applications of the division techniques are virtually unlimited and include memory mapping of global memory addresses to memory channel addresses by dividing a global memory address into the number of memory channels, allowing memory mapping to be performed in an efficient manner even for large memory spaces using a number of memory channels that are not divisible by two, including prime numbers.

Abstract: An integrated circuit memory device has a memory array and control logic with at least a first addressing mode in which the instruction includes a first instruction code and an address of a first length; and a second addressing mode in which the instruction includes the first instruction code and an address of a second length. The first length of the address is different from the second length of the address.

Abstract: A digital processor stores pointers of different sizes in memory. The processor, specifically, executes instructions to store a long or short pointer. Long pointers reference any address in the memory's logical address space, while short pointers merely reference any address in a subset of that space. However, short pointers are smaller in size as stored in memory than long pointers. Long pointers thus support relatively large address range capabilities, while short pointers use less memory. The processor also executes instructions to load a long or short pointer into the register file, and does so in a way that does not require the processor to distinguish between the different pointers when executing other instructions. Specifically, the processor converts long and short pointers into a common format for loading into the register file, and converts pointers in the common format back into long or short pointers for storing in the memory.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for addressing the memory locations of a memory card. There are several memory locations in a memory card for storing data, in which case in order to address a specific memory location an address is formed. At least one parameter is stored in the memory card, on the basis of which parameter the number of memory locations of a memory card can be calculated, and a specific number of bits is reserved for said at least one parameter. In the method, two or more memory locations are addressed with one address, and/or the number of bits that can be used in an address is increased. The invention also relates to a system and a memory card in which the method is applied.